


Desecrated by Light

by QueenEgg



Category: Hollow Knight (Video Game)
Genre: Character Death, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Gen, I'm starting this fic over and doing it Right, Minor Body Horror, Other, a lot of exposition unfortunately, more tags to be added later, oh wow that was dramatic, unn doesnt rly care about their kids
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-04
Updated: 2018-12-27
Packaged: 2019-01-04 13:36:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 18
Words: 26,944
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12169947
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/QueenEgg/pseuds/QueenEgg
Summary: 'A Demigod's forbidden passion.'orSometimes you just have to defy your purpose and run off with a Sun Goddess.





	1. Begin

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Marenorchid](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Marenorchid/gifts).



> I got inspired by [this piece of fanart](https://marenart.tumblr.com/post/164543227471/summers-best-romantic-tragedy) and now i'm dying 
> 
> thanks, maren
> 
> edit: my fianceé deserves better than the Old Garbage so i wrote New Garbage /screams/

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> we are Starting Over with Fresh Ideas babey, straight from the godmaster goldmine

With every day that they lived, it grew more difficult to keep up the act.

They were the Knight, the Pure Vessel, the King’s chosen, and they were only surviving child of the Wyrm himself.

It had been ages since their siblings were cast away to that empty place so far below them. The King watched them claw their way to the top– the only one to survive the fall down into the depths and make it back to him in one piece –and when they had crawled out, they knew something was missing. Then they turned back to see their other half staring back at them.

Only now could they understand the horror of the situation. They’d left them behind, abandoned them. For the sake of what? Stopping the carnage? Meeting a standard they knew they had already failed?

The others that were left after their ascension were swiftly cast into the darkness they’d fled from with nary a regretful glance spared for them. Their success put an end to it all.

As they departed at the King’s side, the Birthplace was sealed and the gateway to the Abyss was closed with the Wyrm’s crest burned into it like a brand. A monument to his grand achievement.

It was at that moment that they made a single promise to themselves.

The one that had fallen back into the infinite dark– they would remember them, and they would carry their memory to the end of their life, but they would  _never_ go back.

 

* * *

 

  
As the chosen vessel of the King, they become as they were designed to be. A nothingness, an emptiness, a void of all except a divine will instilled into their very being.

_Serve your creator. Obey your creator. Submit to your creator._

They perform their duties with mechanical precision. They do not speak, they do not think, they do not hope.

The King’s wife watches them with piteous looks they cannot understand, then one day leaves with nary a word to another, taking her own knight with her. The rest of King’s great knights train them with ruthless efficiency each day, but the words they speak say more of their regret than they could ever know.

The vessel grows with the wyrm’s magic etched into their very being, the marks carved into places that cannot be seen but are nonetheless felt.

 

Time passes and yet, never moves forward, the days melding together until the King– after years of careful planning and flawless execution –makes a fatal mistake.

 

They are standing at his side when it happens. Their mind– could it even be called that at the time? –is blank. The only thing existing in their thoughts are the remnants of the orders and commands they had been given during the day. Follow, Stay, Fight, Stand Down, Focus, Follow,  _Look._ When they do, the King is gazing over the horizon, the ever-present light of the palace shining all around them.

Then, he turns to look at Them instead, and they turn to look at him.

In all their life they could not remember a concept as foreign as affection, yet, in that moment, their creator smiles at them, and their heart breaks in two.

 

From that point on, nothing is the same. The vessel still serves, obeys, and submits, all in silence. But underneath their poised exterior is the remnants of a child destroyed by grief. Where they were once ignorant to that emotion which lingered at the very fringes of their existence, they are now constantly aware of it, and the very presence of such a feeling tears them apart with every waking moment.

 _‘I love you,’_ they think at the Pale King, who watches them with pride as they grow, and train, and fight with every intention of doing their best to be what their father wants.

And he  _is_ their father, they are aware of that now.

By day they are a perfect vessel, flawless in movement and skill, deadly with a weapon, and completely empty. By night they are a broken creature, shattered by the reality that comes with realizing their siblings are long gone to their place of birth, never to see the light above, never to be free. They sob and scream in silence, their cries trapped behind their mask, unable to be heard by any.

They cannot, they cannot,  _they cannot–_

 

* * *

 

Years later, they are full grown, towering over both him and his knights, their gazes all anxiously resting upon them, their body covered in shining regalia– meant to serve as both the dressings of a hero, and the mark of a sacrifice.

Their father stands before them, and the familiar words once spoken to them in the dark are repeated.

“No mind to think,”

_Do not think._

“No will to break,”

_Do not hope._

“No voice to cry suffering,”

_Do not speak._

“Born of God and Void,”

_Do not..._

“You shall seal the blinding light that plagues their dreams. You are the Vessel. You are the Hollow Knight.”

The King’s words are met with silence. He motions behind himself and a lone moth, barely taller than he is, strides forward with a beautiful and immaculate weapon held in her hands. They force themselves not to glance between the two figures, but their father gives them no chance for pause as the pure nail is forced upon them. The time has come, and there is nothing left for them in the world they were created to save.

Before they enter the temple, they risk everything to glance at the King one last time. They are lucky to see him turned away, but they still long to match his gaze, regardless of the consequences.  _‘I love you, I love you, I am sorry,’_ is all they can think as they stride into the Black Egg, knowing their father cannot hear them, and never will. The prison’s walls are knit together with magic far beyond their comprehension, and in their scrutinization of its construction, they are too late to notice the moth following them before they reach the innermost room. When they turn to face her, they realize that her duty and theirs are inherently linked. They are both sacrifices.

But while the temple may serve as a prison to them, it would be a grave to her.

When she attacks them, she is crying, her tears surprising them as they dance around the edges of the room. They are against turning their nail upon her, but when one of her strikes comes dangerously close to their shell, they lash out on impulse and find her body cleanly speared through on the end of their weapon.

Shock is the first thing they feel, then horror, remorse, and sorrow all come flooding in next. After they remove the nail from her chest, they kneel on the ground with her quickly cooling body held tightly against their chest. They cry and cry for the moth whose name they do not know, and in their arms, she laughs before reaching up to gently stroke their cheek.

“Weep not for me, I have fulfilled my duty, and now I will join her. But before the last of my strength fades, I bestow a gift upon you,” she says, her voice fading rapidly. “The wielder my tribe waited for never came, and my people were slain. The blessing I would have given to our chosen champion now lies with you instead. Take it, and become more than what you were intended to be.”

Her eyes grow dull and dim but the Hollow Knight’s wailing only grows in strength, even as a light solidifies itself between her hands, a talisman forming in the air between them. Desperate and weary, they grasp it tightly and a shriek of rage fills their mind with fire.

The moth in their arms fades away, but her last words echo in their mind even as they struggle to figure out what to do next. “Ah... I see her... Radiance, I remember...”

As soon as she is gone, the light behind their eyes reaches a blinding level and they gasp with agony as they felt themselves start to burn from within. The pain increases until it is all they can think of, and the Knight screams.

Then, after either a second or an eternity, the inferno within them stops, and the rest of the world is no more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i swear to god i will finish this in november or i will let myself get gutted like a fish
> 
> the old fic is dead and gone but i promise after reading this New Stuff you will not miss it


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Light, meet Knight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> im liking this more and more as i get through it, ha cha cha

It all started with a small ray of light piercing the darkness.

That single beam grew and grew. It became brighter, brighter, and even brighter still, until it had consumed their sight, their body, their thoughts-

The Knight awoke in a new place, disoriented and terrified with only their nail and the dead moth’s gift clutched tightly in one hand. Their mind was warped with pain, and their eyes were swimming with unshed tears as they whipped their head around, trying to figure out where they were.

Around them, the world was shining with an ethereal light. It appeared to come from everywhere, spilling over the odd stone ground they were lying upon, and for a moment they thought they were back in the White Palace. The aura of their surroundings was similar to that of their father, yet the reminder only served to upset them more. They were stranded in this place, and they knew the Pale King would not come for them.

Worst of all, they could not even do that which they were created for. The shimmering world around them was too overwhelming for them to handle, and as their silent sobs wracked their body, they folded into themselves as a feeble attempt to become smaller than they truly were.

As they sat there, trembling with grief, the knight almost didn’t notice how the light hovering in the distance was drawing closer. It was only when the shining beacon was practically upon them did they realize they were not alone.

The being above them unfurled her wings in a graceful arc, the sight gripping them somewhere deep in their chest as they realized just what had reminded them of their father so. She was massive, looming over them as her eyes– two beams that shone out from her face –locked on to their shaking frame.

“YOU!” In a flash, they were forced to leap away as a beam of white-hot light shot through where they last stood, its rays causing the very ground to crumble away to dust. “YOU FOUL ABOMINATION! MURDERER! KILLER!” The words she screamed at them shouldn’t have hurt, but then-

Her cries shook the stone around them, the world appearing to tremble under the force of her anger. The knight, not expecting the sudden onslaught, brought up their nail as they held the talisman in a death grip. Driven by both fear and instinct, they sped away from the enraged being.

“HORRIBLE CREATURE, DO YOU EVEN KNOW WHAT YOU HAVE DONE?” She shrieked, the sound echoing in their head. “THEY’RE ALL GONE! MY CHILD... YOU’VE DESTROYED HER!”

When she appeared in front of them, her body erupting into the empty space with a roar, the knight did the only thing they could’ve done in the moment. Diving at her, they swung their blade and watched it carve a neat slice through the being’s chest, her cries of rage turning to pain as they dropped down once more.

Turning to face her, they realized that they’d been backed into a corner. The stone beneath them only gave way to an infinite mass of clouds that lingered below their feet, and it was with a sea of terror rising within them that the knight realized that they were truly alone.

Once she recovered from their surprise attack, she let out another shriek of anger rang while a ray of deadly light swept below their feet. Leaping to avoid it, they threw themselves to the side, wincing as they hit the ground, but inadvertently dodging the spears that shot up out of the ground beneath them. Stumbling to their feet, they watched as the being spun once and turned into a flurry of bright shards before reappearing above them, raining down ray after ray of searing light upon them.

It was similar to a dance– what they’d had to do to avoid her attacks, but once she stopped, they lashed out with their nail and darted away before she could strike again. The knight didn’t enjoy hearing her screams, but what else could they do? It was fight, or let themselves be killed. Neither were particularly pleasant things, but they preferred being alive to the alternative.

As they ran from her, they were forced to dodge the volley of shining orbs she flung at them. When one caught them in their shoulder, they tripped over themselves, skidding along stone and crying out wordlessly as their nail fell from their hand and disappeared into the sky beneath. Before they could fully recover from the surprise of losing their weapon, a round of spears flew towards them. Several of the blades tore through their shell and flesh, the agony of the wounds forcing them to stop just long enough for her to catch up with them and fire off another ray of beams in their direction.

In a desperate attempt to fend her off, the knight threw out their arm, returning the beams with their own attack, the two sets of lights colliding in a shower of sparks. They wanted to tell her they didn’t want to fight, that they were only trying to defend themselves, but-

“DO YOU THINK I WOULD NOT SENSE YOUR PRESENCE IN MY REALM? THAT I COULD NOT TELL IT WAS YOU?” Her voice, enraged as it was, remained tinged with sadness as they stared up at her, their body growing numb as they attempted to focus their energy into healing the places where her attacks had damaged them. “YOU WILL PAY FOR WHAT YOU HAVE DONE TO THEM, TO ALL OF THEM!” Before she could retaliate, the knight’s spell knocked her aside, her resulting wail cutting deeper than her spears had.

They were expecting her to attack them again. The knight braced themselves for a barrage of light, or for another round of blades to rain down from above. They weren’t expecting for the being to recover and fly up to them, her face bearing down upon theirs with the force of a sun behind it.

Startled, they reared back, the hand they used to clutch their talisman shooting up, unaware of how the other end took on the form of a shimmering nail made from light.

Looking up, they were horrified to find the eyes of their enemy solely focused on that which they held aloft in front of them.

“Is it not enough for you to steal the lives of my offspring?” she asked, her voice deceptively quiet and cold. “Not only that, but now you  _ DARE _ to steal that which is most sacred to my kin!” Although she wasn’t quite at the volume she had been using before, the knight still drew away from her as she screamed.

It was probably a surprise to them both that instead of using her magic against them, she instead whipped out one of her wings at them, the force of the strike stunning them.

Shocked by the sudden assault, the knight stopped moving for a moment, not realizing that the talisman had also been knocked out of their hand. As they looked up at the being above them, they realized the anger had left her eyes, the blazing fury behind them snuffed out and replaced with disbelief as she stared at them.

Seeing an opportunity to try and explain themselves, they stepped forward only to gasp sharply when an odd feeling took over them. Looking down, they noticed the tip of a shining blade sticking out of their chest.

The next step they took was more of a stumble, and when they glanced up, they saw her looking down at them with...fear? Distress?

They would have contemplated the odd change in her demeanor more if it weren’t for the fact that their body was suddenly so much heavier. When they tried to move back, their foot slipped off the stone ground, the rest of them teetering off the edge of the platform for only a moment before they were  _ falling– _

_ “Oh, I never got to apologize for attacking her,”  _ they thought as they stared up at the shining being above them, watching her grow smaller in the distance as they plummeted to their death.

_ “I’m sorry,” _ was the last thing in their mind before they fell through the clouds, their vision going dark once more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> im @eggroyalty on tumblr if u wanna scream abt thk/radi (or, just hk in general) with me


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Knight has a talk with a Moth.

“My, you’ve come quite a ways... However, now is not your time, Stranger. You aren’t dead yet.” The knight huffed softly. Their entire body ached, and the very act of opening their eyes was an exhausting ordeal.

When they were finally able to gaze up at who had spoken to them, they startled at the sight of an ethereal glowing moth leaning over them, their face and body a complete silhouette of light.

“That was quite a fall you had. Not many are resilient enough to face the First Mother and survive her searing wrath. You must be of a special sorts,” he said with intrigue. “How have you come across our realm? I suspect that the very last of those who knew the way into this land of dreams have already made their permanent home here.” The knight felt their strength leave their body at the reminder that the last living moth in Hallownest had died in their arms.

_ “I could not save her,” _ they thought, an unexpected weight settling on their chest.  _ “It’s my fault–” _

“Ah... I see now. Though this is no place for the living.” At his words, the knight sat up suddenly.

_ “Wait, you-” _ They stared at the strange moth, his expression unreadable.

“Surprised, are you? The Last One’s gift is a powerful one, though I’m not quite sure she intended for it to be used in such a way,” he said, equal parts amused and intrigued as he pointed towards their chest. When the knight looked down at themselves, they couldn’t see anything.

_ “I don’t understand...” _ they thought, before jumping slightly when a brief flash of light erupted from their chest.

“It seems that the dream nail has become rather thoroughly enmeshed with your very being.” The knight looked at the moth and felt their insides twist with confusion and distress. “In other words, it is now a part of you. Completely inseparable from yourself. In your case, that’s quite lucky, as without its power to tether you to this world, it’s likely that you’d have faded away with time.”

Pressing their fingertips into their chest, the knight slowly lifted their gaze skyward, suddenly noticing the difference in color of their surroundings.  _ “This place, it isn’t the same as where I was.” _

The moth nodded, the action barely noticeable due to his gleaming body. “We are, by definition, no longer in the land ruled over by the First Mother. Her jurisdiction ends where the first clouds cover the sky. Look down, Stranger.”

Obeying the simple request, the knight blinked slowly as they realized they could see what looked like–

“The rest of the world lies beneath us, but here in this part of the Dream, she cannot touch us. No, she cannot even see us here. We are beyond her,” he said, and the knight recognized the hint of sorrow in his voice.

_ “What... What happened? To you, to Her?” _ they asked mentally, still unused to how they could clearly hear their own thoughts aloud.

For a moment, the moth was silent, then he turned to them and spoke. “Her rule was usurped by another light, her shining kin. He claimed that hallowed place as his own and fought her for the land above. In the end, his own strength was not enough to stop her, but when he fell, he took another form. The form of a king.” The knight shivered at his words. “With the remainders of his power, he enthralled every being he could into his grasp, including her own children. Their collective devotion helped him ascend beyond Her, and under his influence, he willed them to forget.”

The two bugs stood overlooking the desolate place below, and the knight felt something cold settle inside of themselves. The being they’d encountered, she’d lost everything, same as they had.

“In the end, she became the Old Light, a thing of the past, something to be left buried in the recesses of the mind. But, I suppose one such as her would not take kindly to being beaten in such a way. Some of her children remained faithful. They were much braver than I. Before the king’s cleansing decree came down, they spread their faith to the farthest edges of the kingdom before they were struck from memory as well. Now her influence lies in the basest of minds, but her rage consumes all who touch the dream,” he said, before sighing deeply, his exhaustion palpable.

_ “You do not wish for that to be true,” _ they thought, surprised at how easily the words formed in their mind. The moth turned to look at them, though with surprise or understanding, they did not know.

“That is correct... Here, below her kingdom where she cannot reach me, but not yet low enough to once again touch the ground where my body once was, I am torn. I am forever lost to my Goddess, and my being is...reduced for it.” His head turned to look up above as well. “I stand guard before this place, an eternal protector of that which it stands for. It is something I may never truly understand, yet I do not allow myself pity. The rest of my kind is gone. With the loss of Chande, there is an empty hole in the world where the light may have once shone again. Our wielder never came, but  _ you _ did.”

For once, instead of a feeling of dread that usually overcame them when faced with the task of responsibility, the knight felt themselves stand a little taller at the declaration.  _ “You believe I can help you,” _ they projected.

“Nay, not me, but maybe there is someone else within your reach,” he replied, an image of the golden being above flashing in their mind.

_ “Wait, I can’t do that. She hates me. If I go back there she’ll surely kill me. She thought I was–” _ they recoiled sharply into themselves.  _ “She thought I was the King.” _

To their surprise, the moth did not immediately fly into a rage at the mention of the wyrm. Instead, he tilted his head slightly. “And? You are not He. It is likely she failed to see your true self hidden behind the Pale one’s essence. Such is no longer the case, with the dream nail tying you to this place so thoroughly. I implore you to seek her out and reason with her. There was once a time when our kind communed with her in this place, as her children and descendants. Call her by that which she truly is– The Radiance –and I have no doubts that you will find yourself speaking to another being entirely.”

At his words, the knight felt the barest hint of hope begin to spread throughout their shell.  _ “You love her.” _ It was not a question.

Nodding, the moth turned to look at them. “Perhaps it is selfishness on my part, but knowing you can reach her as I cannot...” He paused, his antennae falling slightly. “It may be unfair to place all my wishes upon your shoulders, yet, I cannot force you to act. It is only the desire of a penitent creature that lingers within this body. You have my sincerest regrets for being pulled into this dance between higher beings, pale child.” Watching him silently, the knight held his gaze for a moment.

_ “Tell me how to reach her,” _ they thought, a rush of delight filling them as the moth shifted, eagerness in his stance.

Pointing towards the distance, he brought their attention to the floating lamp-posts hovering in the distance.

“Follow the lights. The way back to her realm will reveal itself to you as you go,” he said, joy leaking into his voice. Before the knight could move, however, the moth grasped their arm gently, prompting them to look at him. “If–  _ when _ you see her again... Please tell her that her child, Cierco, does not regret dying for her cause.” They waited for a moment, then nodded.

With a single graceful push off the edge of the platform, the knight was leaping into the unknown.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> welp this is as far as i'm going for now. See ya'll in november when the real party starts!


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The second meeting.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> /busts through the wall/ its NA NO TIM E KIDS

It was with an untold amount of glee that they found stone pathways materializing at their feet as they moved. Following the path higher and higher, they ran and jumped as fast as they could go, marveling at how their energy seemed boundless in the world between dreams and waking.

The farther they went, the closer came the clouds above their head, until their horns were brushing against them. When their vision became obscured by them, they slowed, careful to feel their way out first before moving. At some point, the barrier between the two sections of the world was strong enough to be felt. Bracing themselves against the stone below, they pressed their hands against the invisible wall above, and _pushed._

An unexpected amount of effort was necessary for them to finally breach the surface, but once they were through, they found that the stone path continued upwards, directly towards the shining beacon in the sky.

Steeling themselves, the knight continued upwards. As they traversed, they took the opportunity to look around, suddenly struck by the quiet of the space around them. There was an emptiness to the land of dreams that felt unnatural for some reason.

After spending some time with Cierco, they realized what was wrong with the place.

There were no moths. The descendants of the ancient goddess who lived above was alone, her children nowhere to be found amongst the shining realm that was supposed to be their home.

“So... it returns.” The Knight jumped at the voice and scrambled back on the cobbled together ground they stood upon as the Old Light loomed above them, its gaze pure poison as its eyes bored into them. “Come back to finish the job, have you? Foolish creature.”

At this, they simply held their arms out, their palms facing upward as it- _she,_ stared back.

Her expression shifted from anger to confusion and back to deep irritation as she fixed her sight on their face. “What manner of trickery is this?” she asked.

 _“...don’t want to fight...”_ they said, watching her rear back as their thoughts reverberated in the empty space around them. _“Please...”_

For a moment she simply hovered in place, obviously confused. “You... are not the wyrm,” she muttered, as if she barely believed the words she spoke.

 _“No, neither am I your enemy, Radiance.”_ The very mention of her name spawned a grand halo behind her as her eyes widened with surprise.

“Who told you that name!” she half-screamed, even as her body flushed with power, an outpouring of light almost blinding the knight once more.

 _“Your child-! Cierco, he who stands guard below- he told me, and... he asked me to tell you that he does not regret-”_ Their body seized up as she raised her wings up towards them. _“He does not regret...dying for- for your cause-”_ the rest of their thoughts dissolved away into nothingness as the Radiance’s touch shocked them to their core.

They stood as still as possible, trying desperately to keep themselves from shaking as a surprisingly velvety tendril stroked the side of their face. She could’ve swatted them away like they were nothing. While they were a capable and dangerous being in their own right, on their own without their father’s commands to direct them, they were simply a speck in a sea of dreams, and the Radiance had all the power over them in the moment.

“It is a cruel fate, for my child to be banished to a place just beyond my reach,” she said, her voice toneless and flat as she pulled her wings away, sinking lower in the air so she could be level with them. “and, it its equally cruel that you would return here as well. What do you have to gain? What is left for you to take?” The light that once spilled from her form was now gone, the halo that formed at their mention of her name already faded as they watched her curl into herself.

 _“I want...”_ they started, unsure of themself at first, but, _“I want to fix things.”_ Before they could fully commit to the thought, the Radiance’s laughter bled outwards, a sound that wasn’t quite genuine but still made them feel...something.

“You want to fix the wrongdoings of this world? With what power would you attempt to do so?” she asked, and for a moment, the knight found themselves without an answer

Of course, they had the magic imbued within them due to their parentage, the soul of Wyrm and Root which made up the base of their very being, as well as the void which formed the ever-rolling pit of emptiness at their core- but those weren’t enough, they knew that much.

There was also the matter of the seals- the three bugs that they knew had given up their waking lives for the sake of locking away their body, as well as the infection, away. To undo them would be a challenge, yet, raising a hand to press against their chest, they remembered the talisman which had accidentally fused with their being. That which tethered them to the Dream- could such an item also be used to sever the bindings which held the seals in their spelled sleep?

 _“The power that was given to me which belonged to your kin,”_ they began, watching the Radiance for any hostility as they mentioned the item in question, _“you said it was sacred. How?”_

At first her eyes narrowed, but then, after seeing them watch her with a hopeful gaze, she sighed and spread her wings. “A blade forged in my own heart, carrying with it the wishes of my children. In their last days they cried out for a savior, one who could wield it and save them from their torment. A savior who never came.” The knight felt their insides twist as a few shining tears slid down the Radiance’s face and fell into the infinite sky below. “After that they hoped that another would come to revive their lost culture, perhaps save the magic that my kin practiced in that worldly realm so far beyond this place. Their hopes were yet unfounded. I do not know what the Last One saw in you, but, in the end she was the only one of my children who remained to pass on the memories of her kind. Now, that blade lies within you, and its power lingers there as well.”

By the time she was done speaking, the Radiance was a dim mass floating beside them. Hesitantly, the knight knelt on the edge of the stone platform and reached out for her face. Their palm sank into the down covering her body, and they shook when her eyes shot open and focused directly on them, half startled.

 _“I won’t let her sacrifice be in vain. I’ll free you- you can leave this place, perhaps your kin can come back-!”_ Despite their worries, the goddess only rumbled tiredly, and the knight wondered if it was truly the same being they’d faced who had chased them across the sky with a rage like fire.

“Do not bother, dark one. This world has grown beyond me. I see that now. The Pale Light has bested me and has consumed all that I created. What is left for a being like I in a place like that?” Something about her words made them stir with dissent. The light emanating from the chest blazed outwards as they stood.

 _“You would give up? Knowing how much was given to continue your memory?”_ They asked, now gripping the feathers outlining her face with both hands as they stared her down. _“I will find the seals that keep us both trapped in this place, and when they are gone, I will set you free.”_

The two beings held their breaths as the knight wondered what had fueled the urgency behind such a promise. They had no chance to contemplate, however, as the Radiance brushed them off of herself, her wings carrying her higher above them as she grew distant.

“If it is your choice to pledge yourself to meaningless trials then so be it. I shall not linger nearby to witness your failure,” she huffed, before she vanished in the distance- a dim speck instead of the shining beacon she was before.

Shrugging off her apathetic response, the knight stared down at their chest, which was still lit with the talisman’s glow. She could put distance between them, but the Radiance would have to see their resolve if they succeeded in their goal.

Now, all they had to do was find the seals.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll be updating this fic every time I finish a new chapter, no buffer or anything because i fully intend to finish it before the end of the month, so like, buckle up


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> thk psychoanalyzes the radiance for half a second

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> im done trying to keep up being serious w/ my chapter summaries.

As it turned out, the realm of dreams was just as expansive as the knight first believed it to be. While cobblestone pathways still formed beneath their feet as they walked, they traversed the endless sky with no direction. Although the Radiance had left them behind after their last conversation, they could still feel her presence around them. The underlying power that held the very world together hummed in the air around them. In a way, she’d never left their side, not when they knew she could feel them as well, no matter how much distance was between them.

 _“I need to find the seals,”_ they mused to themselves, _“but how? Their physical bodies are locked away. To find their sleeping selves-”_ Glancing down, the knight stared at their hands.

Their own body was trapped in the same manner as the Dreamers. If they focused, they could almost see the shackles binding their form. The spell that kept them trapped was the same one that forced the seals into their eternal rest. Perhaps, if said spell could be used to find them-

The knight knew the King’s magic had been used in the process of creating the seals, but they shared a part of the King as well. His power was, in some form, also theirs. They only needed to reach for it.

It was a simple thing- finding that piece of their father’s power and pulling it to the surface. What they weren’t expecting was the Radiance’s sudden reappearance as she flashed into being behind them, her eyes darting about before settling on them.

 _“I thought you were avoiding me,”_ they said, a hint of amusement peeking through when the light goddess hastily shifted her body so she wasn’t looking at them directly.

“Ah... that accursed shard of the Pale One within you, I thought it was he, once again encroaching upon my domain.” As they walked, she hovered beside them, and soon the knight grew curious.

 _“My father, he never mentioned there was another being like him before. Much less one within this kingdom.”_ The Radiance turned to look at them once more before closing her eyes and tilting her face skyward.

“There used to be many of us. Our broods were endless. My kin traveled to the edge of the world and brought light to its darkest corners. Then the others came, in all of their shapes. The white root and the green one once dwelled here with my children. Our territories were separate, but I remember what it was like to co-exist in peace before the wyrm came into power,” she hummed, and the knight stared down at their hands once more. “They were not always here, though.”

 _“No?”_ They felt confusion begin to stir once more. _“If so, what was here before them?”_

“Only I, and the endless well of shadows,” she replied, before giving them an odd look. “To where is it that you think you are going, Empty Thing?”

Her question reminded them of what they were originally doing when she’d appeared and distracted them. Drawing back up the wyrm’s magic, they felt a distant pull in three directions. Focusing on one of them, they changed course, and to their surprise, the Radiance only waited a scant moment before following them at a short distance.

 _“I’m going to where the sleeping selves of the seals on our prison dream, so that I may wake them and set you free.”_ Their plan didn’t seem so difficult now that they had a way of finding the Dreamers, but the Radiance still watched them with a skeptic gaze.

“You believe yourself capable of undoing such a thing? For what purpose would you go to such great lengths in unbinding this kingdom’s reckoning?” There was something strange in her tone that they couldn’t decipher. “My powers ravaged the world below. Should you succeed, that place will burn anew-!”

 _“Is that what you want? To destroy what’s left of the kingdom?”_ Their inquiry stunned her into silence. _“Would that make you happy...?”_ Not realizing they’d stopped walking, the knight held the Radiance’s stare.

Instead of responding, she wrapped her wings around herself and spun- her body vanishing once again, leaving only an imprint of light and downy feathers where she once was.

Sighing, they turned away and continued on their course to the first seal.

 

⋆ ✩ ⋆

 

“Would eliminating what’s left of the wyrm’s pathetic domain make me happy? What an inane question. Of course it would make me happy.” the Radiance said to herself as she hovered far, far above the knight, out of sight and certainly well out of hearing distance. Watching them stare at the place she’d just vacated, her eyes followed them as they moved to follow whatever path they’d chosen to follow. She wasn’t intrigued by them. _She was not._

“It isn’t like their actions will matter much in the end,” she whispered, “they’ll fail, and when they lose hope, I’ll- I’ll...” Looking down, she took in their confident and determined stride. They seemed so dedicated to seeing their promise through to the end. But she knew better.

Flying above them, she followed silently as they made their way through her domain. To her surprise, they didn’t travel in a straight line. At several moments they stopped to marvel at the lonely structures which floated throughout the realm. They paused at the lampposts, the courtyards, and even lingered within the arching buildings that were supposed to house her descendants- though all of them laid empty as the day they were created.

“What are they hoping to prove?” Ignoring how her voice wavered as she watched them kneel on the ground to gently stroke the feathery plants that sprouted from the cracks in the aged stone, the Radiance stopped keeping pace as the distance between her and the knight below only grew larger, their form turning to a dark blur on the horizon as tears began to form in her eyes.

Would turning the rest of her enemy’s kingdom to ash make her happy? She didn’t know.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eviction no. 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> double-up-date

Keeping their pace even, the knight continued on their way, following the tether of magic while stopping periodically to admire the world around them. The Radiance had truly created a wondrous haven around her, and they couldn’t help but feel sorrow trickle into their chest at the realization that she had no one to share it with. Her children were gone- never to return after Chande’s death.

Freeing her from their shared prison was a decision they couldn’t afford to make lightly. The plague had decimated Hallownest before, and if they allowed her to roam free once more-

Pulled away from their inner thoughts, they stood still at the edge of the walkway they were standing on as the world around them grew unnaturally dark. When they lifted their gaze, they saw rows of stone shards rising up from the ground, many of them reminiscent of their own crest.

Moving forward with caution, the knight found the next platform to materialize before them to be made of a completely different kind of stone. Its surface was polished smooth, completely unlike the cobblestone pathways they were treading upon before.

Following the platforms downwards, they squinted as a ball of light hovered above a pillar. When they stepped onto it, the shimmering mass materialized into a familiar figure.

 _“Monomon...!”_ The name reached their mind unbidden as they drew closer. She hadn’t heard them. Asleep even in dream, as the spell had made. When they reached out for her, they winced at how touching her body sent chills through their shell- as if the magic keeping them both bound was rejecting the very act.

They needed her to wake up, but to do so without harming her would prove a challenge.

“Father tied us together. The spell keeps us intertwined, but... should the magic holding you to this place be severed...” With a careful urgency, the knight focused on the talisman embedded in their chest. The Radiance said that its power was now theirs as well, so they only needed to remember what it felt like to wield it. The blade shone even when enveloped in the darkness of their body, and the knight visualized the invisible strings of magic that wrapped around themselves and Monomon being sliced apart.

All at once, her body fell from where it was floating and dropped into their waiting arms. They were thankful that she wasn’t all that heavy, and after setting her on the ground, they watched as she lifted her head up slightly, disoriented.

“...What?” she mumbled, before her gaze shot to them. “Pure...? Pure!” Her cries startled them and they drew back, not having expected her to be at all coherent or lucid as she called them by the only name they were ever given. “What have you done? The seals- the plague-!”

“They’re none of your concern now. Begone from here.” Jumping slightly at the sound of the Radiance’s voice, the knight whipped their head around to catch a glimpse of her just before Monomon vanished in a burst of light. In a panicked move, they made to run towards where her body once lay, but found themselves caught- the Radiance’s wings wrapped around their midsection before they could so much as properly stand. “Calm yourself. I haven’t harmed her, simply returned her to the realm she belongs in. I was unable to before with the wyrm’s protection on her, but now-”

Growing still in her hold, the knight went limp as she deposited them back onto solid ground. Rolling onto their back, they stared up at her.

 _“Why did you do that?”_ they asked.

“You would not have been able to send her back without killing her,” she replied, her eyes narrowing. “I suppose you believe yourself to be rather successful in your attempt.”

 _“Of course. I only need break two more seals before I complete my promise. Are you not excited? Encouraged by the thought of once again being able to live unconstrained?”_ Something about the way she’d held them had left them shaken, but they couldn’t let her know that. _“Have you accepted that I only wish to help you?”_

She glanced back at them with scrutiny. “It is not _acceptance_ that is the issue. It is your odd insistence of this fate upon me. How is it that I should feel towards a creation made only to be a prison for my being which desires to set me loose upon the very place it was meant to protect. You are an odd thing,” she said, though completely without malice. This time, when she reached out for them, they sat up and pressed the side of their face into her wing.

Instead of drawing back suddenly, the velvety strands curled against their cheek.

 _“You may find me strange, but I find you to be most intriguing as well.”_ They didn’t know where such a thought came from, but it was clear their response was not what the Radiance had been expecting.

When she finally moved to pull away, they found themselves following the echo of her touch, raising a hand to their mask as she turned away from them.

“If... if you are determined to see this through to the end,” she began, pointedly avoiding eye-contact with them, “then I will not impede your progress. However-!” They sat up straight at that. “Do not expect me to assist you, except for the act of sending the wyrm’s pawns back to where they belong.”

Looking up at her, they tilted their head slightly. _“In what way would I need your help? My father’s magic will lead me to the seals, though your offer of returning them to the realm of the waking is appreciated.”_

The Radiance simply let out a soft sigh in response. “Our two worlds are separated by a veil that has only grown thinner since I was imprisoned here. Beings whose dreams become so strong that they manifest in this realm have become more prominent, though my power keeps most at bay.” As the knight stood, they found themselves suddenly wishing for their nail. “If you were to have an encounter with such a being, do not expect me to come to your aid.”

 _“Is that all?”_ they asked. After she said nothing else, they bowed and began to make their way back- the pull of the remaining seals drawing them in the opposite direction. “ _Thank you, for your concern.”_

When they turned around to give her a proper farewell, the Radiance was already gone.  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Radi vanishes a lot, doesn't she


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The second seal goes down.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> god it feels good to make progress on this fic.

While they hadn’t expected it to be any form of exciting in the first place, the knight was quickly growing tired, as the vast expanse of dream began to prove itself a challenge to traverse. As they crossed the breadth of the world, they found their steps slowing, their arms suddenly heavy.

Before they could recognize the signs of their own fatigue, their legs slipped out from beneath them, their body hitting the ground. Laying on their chest, the knight let out an empty breath and let the darkness obscure their vision.

 

By the time they woke, the knight realized they weren’t in the same place as before. Instead of lying facedown on the stone, they were on their side in the shade of one of the many floating structures within the realm. Sitting up slowly, they glanced about in confusion.

“If you ever hope to fulfill your promise, you would do well to not exhaust yourself.” When they looked outside, they felt a flutter in their chest as the Radiance’s eyes peered back at them.

_ “I thought you said you weren’t going to help me.” _ Her gaze darted away at that, but she didn’t say anything else until they moved to stand.

“This was... an exception to the rule,” she muttered, before turning back to them. “Our energies oppose each other. You won’t last long here if you do not rest.” Still feeling the weight of their limbs pulling them down, the knight decided to listen to her advice.

_ “You might be correct in that assumption,” _ they replied, before moving to lean against a wall.  _ “Will you stay this time?” _

“Perhaps,” she said. They didn’t know if she was being serious, but even if she left, there was no reason for them to not take her advice.

Turning so that their eyes were turned towards the shade, they let themselves drift away once more.

 

Rousing themselves from sleep was more difficult the second time around, the foreign sensation of being rested left a heavy fog around their mind, though their limbs no longer ached and the phantom pains of previous wounds felt more like a bad dream than a recent memory. However, when they moved to sit up, they brushed against something soft.

Freezing immediately, they realized they’d been sleeping next to-

_ “...Radiance?” _ Their thoughts seemed unusually loud in the moment, and they winced when her eyes snapped open to focus on them.

“So, you’re finally awake. Again,” she said, pushing herself to stand from where she’d been leaning against the wall of the room.

Still disoriented, they looked her over once, twice, tilting their head in confusion.  _ “You’re... smaller.” _

“How observant of you.” Once again, her words lacked malice, but as she stepped closer to the edge, they couldn’t help but stare.

She still towered over them even with her reduced size, but in this form she was closer in appearance to her descendants than she normally was. Were it not for the three-pronged crest that sat atop her head, they’d have confused her for a moth.

_ “Why do you look like that?” _ they asked, only for her to shoot them a cold glare.

“You needn’t concern yourself with matters beyond your comprehension. Focus on the task at hand,” she snapped, causing them to startle at her sudden change in demeanor. “Were you not heading off to your second seal?”

For a moment, they did nothing but stare.

_ “I am,” _ they finally said, after several moments of silence. When they were at her side, they couldn’t help but feel a tinge of disappointment as she pointedly avoided their gaze.  _ “Thank you... for staying.” _

Instead of waiting for a reply, they pushed hard off the edge of the room and leaped as far as they could, trusting the stones below to manifest and catch them as they started running towards their destination.

They didn’t know why the Radiance was suddenly being so terse with them, but they had no time to ponder on it. They’d already wasted enough time sleeping.

While running to where the second seal was, the knight realized that the amount of soft, feathery plants that sprouted up almost everywhere within the realm had dwindled. Their stems drooped slightly, and when they paused to take the downy fronds into their hands, the leaves crumbled apart at their touch.

A new sense of unease made its way into their chest as they hurried ahead. They only had a little farther to go- they could feel it.

This time when the dark pillars started appearing in the distance, they slowed their gait and stared upwards at the monolithic constructs. They seemed bigger, darker, like they were swallowing up the very world around them.

Approaching the place where they converged, the knight shielded their eyes as the glowing figure above revealed itself to be Deepnest’s Queen, Herrah.

They remembered the details of her agreement with their father, words spoken in secret of a heir to the kingdom to the west, sequestered in the dark, and with their King lost to sickness. The wyrm had offered her a heir, and just before the fated day they were to be sealed, they heard rumors of the spider’s new princess.

Blinking back tears, the knight forced themselves not to think of the sister they’d never known.

“You gave your life for her. An honorable sacrifice, though one I must now undo,” their thoughts hung in the air, and the lack of response made them wince.

Reaching out for Herrah, they braced themselves and focused that powerful magic once again. To their surprise, the act of tearing away the spell’s hold on her actually hurt them, tiny white cracks extending from their hands as they forced down the pain to pour more of themselves into the act of removing the seal.

It took longer than expected for them to finally free Herrah from her bonds, and when they did, they let out a sharp breath as they caught her. Setting her down, they knelt by her side and stared at their shell- the cracks hadn’t gone away as soon as they’d stopped channeling.

When they turned to look back at the spider Queen, they realized she’d awoken and was now staring back at them.

“How strange. Here I was thinking I’d never meet the wyrm’s chosen one in person,” she said, and when they stood, she stood with them, settling on her six legs while they puzzled over how much shorter she was than them. When she drew closer to get a better look at them, they froze as she pulled them down by the front of their cloak, turning their head to observe it from all angles. “Ah, I see the resemblance now. My daughter bears some resemblance to you. Must be  _ his _ doing.”

After she let go, they gingerly lifted a hand to touch their horns. Their sister looked like them? The very idea of it sent a rush of pride through them. They wanted to know more about her, anything at all, but before they had a chance to ask, the familiar bright light of the Radiance spun into existence above them.

“Leave here, your child is waiting for you,” she said, right as Herrah vanished in the same fashion that Monomon did the previous time.

Looking up, the knight watched the Radiance descend, still as her smaller self. The moth goddess came up to them, forcing them to tilt their head back to match her gaze.

Instead of speaking, she looked down and took their hands in between the soft threads of her wings. They held still as she carefully inspected the fissures in their shell, and when she was done, they held their breath as she moved to take their head in between her wings- her eyes roving over their face with dedicated purpose.

“Trying to undo the seals is destroying you. The magic that keeps them tied to your essence was never meant to be handled in such a way. Attempting to break the last one may destroy you,” she said, her tone going from serious to accusing. “You must stop-”

_ “I will not,” _ they replied, before she could properly finish. Pulling away from her hold, the knight hesitated for a bare second, regret flooding inward as the warmth from her touch faded as soon as they were no longer connected. “ _ You haven’t been freed yet.” _

When they looked back up at her they saw her glaring at them with a mix of frustration and concern.

“Foolish thing that you are! My freedom will not matter for much longer. You have seen the signs, I know you have. My world is fading.” It shook them to their core to see the Radiance lower herself to the ground, resting atop her folded legs as her wings hung limp at her sides. “There is no one left to remember me- none who truly believe or worship the very idea that is my being. Not even the flames of wrath the wyrm stoked within me are strong enough to sustain me anymore,” she sighed. “It is better to forget- to move on. Accept that we are both doomed to fade away in this shared prison of ours.”

_ “No, no, I can’t- I refuse!” _ Their claws ached from the cracks, but they clenched their hands regardless of the pain.  _ “It won’t take me long to reach the third seal. Once it is gone you can-” _ They were interrupted when the Radiance stood up sharply. She only needed to take a single step to be in their space, and before they could react, she was gripping their shoulders and shaking them.

“Don’t you understand!? You stubborn creature,  _ you will die!” _ she snapped, her wings moving to squeeze their arms tightly. “If you try and break the spell that binds us here, your very being will break apart like fine dust. The wyrm would do anything to keep me from returning, and your sacrifice was foreseen. Perhaps before, such a thing would mean nothing to me, but now?” Abruptly, the knight was pulled into her embrace.

They could feel her shaking, and as they hesitantly brought up their arms to wrap around her midsection, she let out a shuddering sigh.

“Do not leave me alone when I have so little time left here.” As they rested their chin on her shoulder, the knight felt her tears fall onto their back. “Please...”

Ignoring how their chest grew tighter, they held tightly to her even as she cried.

_ “I won’t.” _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'm on tumblr too @ eggroyalty ! come say hi! (it makes me write faster)


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wake Up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hohohonyehehehe

The knight didn’t know how long they stood there in the Radiance’s embrace, both unwilling to be the first one to pull away, but also-

“Is it pointless of me to hope that you will give up in your attempts to release me from here?” she asked. They didn’t trust themselves enough to reply, but they felt a distinct sense of regret when the Radiance drew back to give them a knowing look. “Of course, I already know I cannot stop you.”

Nodding, they hesitantly reached out for her again, this time sighing into her shoulder when she once again pulled them in against her chest. Given the opportunity, they would’ve chosen to never move from that spot again.

“If...if you are so determined to see this through then I suppose I have no choice in the matter. My influence grows thin and my power wanes, but I will accompany you to your last destination as I am able,” she said, letting them step back so they could re-orient themselves.

As soon as they could, they focused their magic on the final seal and began to walk, though to their surprise, the Radiance followed beside them on foot instead of taking to the sky. Their worries only grew as they observed how every step seemed to take more effort out of her than before. She could no longer fly, and where her body used to shine brightly even against the glimmering landscape, she now grew dull- her light diminishing.

They had to move quickly.

With a newfound urgency, they found themselves hurrying across the terrain. The Radiance kept pace with them as best she could, yet several times they had to slow for her to catch up. At one point, they’d run several paces ahead only to have to turn around and return to where she’d stopped.

This time, when she paused to catch her breath, the knight only spared a glance at their fragmented hands before leaning down to lift her up into their arms rather unceremoniously.

“I- what do you think you are doing?! Put me down!” she squawked, only for them to clutch her a little tighter.

_ “You already carried me once, this is me repaying you for then,” _ they replied, ignoring how difficult it was to hold her properly considering their height difference.

The Radiance scoffed slightly, but the knight beamed when they felt her wings wrap around their shoulders. “Just- just don’t drop me.”

_ “I won’t.” _ Bounding over the landscape, they couldn’t help but feel light even with her weight in their arms, and when they came to another one of the grander floating structures, they carefully set her down next to the wall where she could lean back on the stone.

“Where are you going...?” she asked when they stood and moved from her side.

_ “I’m just looking-” _ they began, only when a shimmering wall materialized behind them, effectively cutting off their exit as a similar one appeared at the other end of the room.

Surprised, they stumbled further into the room even as the Radiance flew up against the barrier, her wings pressing against it as her eyes grew wide with panic.

“Come back here- stop, stop moving! Come here so I can-” Her words were cut off as something heavy crashed into the room behind them. When they turned around they found themselves facing-

_ “Hegemol?” _ they asked, only to be forced to jump back as a huge mace slammed into the ground where they were previously standing. It quickly became apparent that this was not the great knight of their memories. They wielded a different weapon, and their fighting style was completely unlike his.

While the other bug thrashed wildly in the arena they’d found themselves trapped in, the knight winced as they realized they would have to fight yet again.

“Stop standing there and do something!” Radiance snapped at them, and right before the mace swung around to hit them, they lifted their cloak and they felt part of their shell melt away temporarily. Two long void-tendrils whipped out to wrap around their enemy’s weapon, forcing the two into a match of strength.

The knight hissed silently as the weight of the armored bug’s grip forced them to lean back. The mace was heavier than they’d expected, but their efforts were rewarded when the other bug’s grip loosened just enough for them to pull it away. Surprisingly, the mace vanished into motes of light as soon as they had it in their hold.

When the void returned to their chest, the knight coughed- unused to the strain of changing their form for a prolonged period of time.

Their opponent’s muffled shout brought them back into the moment as they came barreling towards them. Vanishing into shadows for a split second, they reappeared high above and threw out their arm to release a volley of spears. To their disappointment, their attack didn’t seem to harm their enemy, the spears colliding with their armor- only causing them to momentarily stumble.

“Why are you still fighting!? Come here!” The Radiance’s impatient call drew them away from the fight, and they watched as the tips of her wings pushed through the barrier, reaching out for them.  _ “Come on!” _

When they reached the wall, they felt her wings wrap around them as she pulled them towards her. With a strange sensation- like falling through honey -they found themselves tumbling to the ground in the Radiance’s hold, her sharp gasps being the only sound besides the armored bug’s raging as they tried to reach the knight.

_ “Radi- Radiance, are you alright?”  _ They asked, scrambling to get up on their own as she lay on the floor, still struggling to breathe. Leaning down to take her into their arms again, they held her tightly to themselves.  _ “I’m sorry, Radiance-!” _ When she shuddered in their hold, they startled as the soft down covering her body began to fall away, the remains of the feathery material sloughing off her wings.

With a quiet laugh, she stared down at her deteriorating body. “Ah, it seems I’ve expended myself past my limit. There’s no need for apologies, I knew what was to become of me,” she whispered, even as she trembled against them.

_ “No, no! There must be something I can do- the last seal!” _ their mind screamed out, and soon they were running once more.

If they could just get to their destination then the Radiance could be saved. They could fix this, fix her-!

“Let me go, my shadow- there isn’t anything left of me to save.” Even her voice was fading now, the knight’s insides churned with terror even as the dark, looming crests of stone began to appear on the horizon.

_ “Stop- stop wasting your energy! Can you send Lurien home if I break the spell?” _ they asked, their limbs beginning to shake as they failed to respond to them.

In their panic, they failed to notice how the world around them was growing darker and darker as the light slowly bled from the Radiance’s form.

Lurien was the very last of the dreamers, as well as the one that the knight knew the best. They remembered spending several days in his spire when their father had grown preoccupied with his plans and projects. The keeper of the kingdom’s capital was a quiet sort, but he hadn’t been unkind to them. It was fitting that now, he was the only thing standing between them and freedom. When the lights obscuring his body faded, the knight carefully set the Radiance on the ground once more, ignoring how she practically slid out of their arms.

Reaching out for him, magic power sparked at their fingertips. When they grabbed hold of his body, their shell rippled with the force of the energy flowing through them. A second later, the spell snapped- their body convulsing as a scream ripped itself from their unused throat.

All at once, Lurien fell into their arms, their legs barely able to keep themselves upright as pain crackled over every inch of their shell. Half-crawling to where the Radiance lay, they placed Lurien on the ground as well.

_ “Radi... send him back. Please- you have to-”  _ they choked out, using one arm to clutch their other shoulder, the magic having shattered part of their body to pieces. When they finally collapsed at her side, the knight couldn’t help but sob.  _ “Please... Radiance-!” _

It was only when the tips of her wings brushed against their face that they looked up to see her leaning over them.

“Go, watch over your beloved city once more,” she said as Lurien’s body vanished in a plume of light. She stared at the place where he’d lain for a moment before turning to gaze at them. “As for you... be free of me, my shadow. Let me fade away in peace.”

_ “No, no no, Radiance no!” _ They were screaming again, the words echoing in their mind as their body began to fade away. She’d fallen back to the ground after speaking, but they couldn’t-  _ wouldn’t _ leave her.  _ “I can still help you-! I can-” _ They choked on the dripping black that spilled out of them. What could they do? The wyrm’s magic was useless to them now. They needed something else- something that was a part of them.

All at once, the darkness that had been enveloping the world seemed to respond to their cries. They cried and wailed even as they felt themselves being dragged away from the dream. When the void rose up to pull them back, they struggled to hold on. Inky tears spilled from their face as they watched the Radiance remain motionless while her realm crumbled around around her.

_ “I’m sorry- I’m sorry, I’m sorry!” _ They reached out for her in one last desperate motion, their hand grasping hold of her wing only for it to come apart in their hand- their fingers tightening around a single feather as they lost their grip, the void pulling them down.  _ “Radiance! Radiance I love you-!” _

The last thing they heard before everything went dark was the shriek of a dying god.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Family Reunion Time!

When the knight awoke, everything was dark. They couldn’t see, and when they tried to move, they found themselves immobilized. Each time they attempted to stretch their limbs, their body refused to answer. The only sounds they could hear were the faint rattle of chains.

It was with a chilling realization that they came to the understanding that they were back in the waking world.

But the Radiance was nowhere nearby.

The tears came slowly at first, but soon they were crying outright, their noiseless sobs accompanied by the sound of the swaying metal holding their body aloft.

They didn’t know how long they spent suspended in the air, locked up inside the prison their father had built for them. With the breaking of the seals, their ability to attune with the world around them was gone, and gone as well was their voice, the sound of their projecting thoughts left behind in the crumbling world with Her-

A thundering roar of something breaking apart drew them out of themselves. The one part of their body they could move even slightly was their head, and they strained with the effort of looking towards the entrance to the room, which was now illuminated by the light from outside. For some time, they waited in the innermost chamber, until the sound of footsteps drew closer and closer.

If they were capable, the knight would have reared back in surprise at the sight of the small figure that approached from outside. It couldn’t, but it was- yet it might not be. Their insides once again rolled with discomfort at the pale visage which stared up at them from below. The knight’s gaze followed them as they crossed the room, and when the other vessel raised their nail to hack away at the anchors keeping their chains in place, they couldn’t help but hum with anticipation.

Once the last chain was broken, they let out a silent cry as the armor on their shoulders shattered to pieces, leaving them to fall to the ground unceremoniously.

Across from them, their sibling watched, tensing up when the knight retrieved their nail. The one they’d wielded in the dream was gone, but thankfully its real-world counterpart was still there. After they brushed the dust off of its metal surface- the edges dulled from disuse -they turned back to the other vessel. Their weapon was raised, but after a few more moments of the knight not moving, they lowered it and cautiously approached until they were standing just in front of them.

Kneeling down, the knight let their sibling reach up to touch their mask. At once, they shuddered at the contact.

 _‘Thank you, little one,’_ they thought, only for the sensation of _siblinghelloitsyou_ to reach their mind. Looking back down at them, the knight tilted their head slightly. There had never been a need for them to speak using their natural-born tongue. Although such a thing would have been undetectable to the King, they had no one else to speak to, and yet-

 _Howthisyouhere?_ they projected back, the whispery sounds echoing out of their shell being the only accompaniment to their words as they slowly made their way out of the black egg, following the other vessel towards the outside world.

 _Escapedfreedlongsolongago,_ was the response. _Stayedwithsisterprotector,_ they continued, their much smaller hand wrapping around one of the knight’s fingers as they pulled them along, _heardcallheardcry_ _hometoyousibling._

The knight could feel the connection between them- once stifled but now freely open as the void touched them both. Their chest ached as they stared down at the tiny figure leading them. That face which had watched them from the ledge in the abyss. They felt like crying again.

 _Siblingfollowing?_ The question pierced their thoughts and they moved to step out of the shadows veiling the inside of the structure.

 

Upon stepping outside, the knight was immediately forced to swiftly draw their nail and block an incoming strike by a red-cloaked stranger, her needle flying at them in a flash as metal struck metal.

 _Hornetsisterattacknot!_ their sibling pointed their nail at her before she could move to attack once more. When they looked up, the knight felt something light settle within them as they got a better look at the other bug. It was her- their _sister-_

“Ghost, what is the meaning of this!” she shouted, jabbing her needle in the knight’s direction. Laughing silently, they re-sheathed their nail and leaned down to look at her closer. “You stay back-!” They drew slightly away from her space, but continued to observe. Her horns were quite reminiscent of Herrah, as was her temper.

 _WhereisHerrah? Nothere?_ the knight sent to them both, prompting Hornet to glare at them.

“My mother has been asleep for ages. How would you know of her, sealed one?” she asked, and knight drew themselves upwards. Had she not been to Deepnest? It would have been impossible for them to be freed if the seals were not gone.

 _Letusgo, weshallsee,_ they hummed, and knelt down so Ghost- their sibling had a name! A name! -could climb up onto their shoulder, the smaller vessel giving off waves of excitement as their taller sibling began to move. Hornet scoffed at the scene, before moving to follow them at a distance.

“I only came up here to make sure Ghost would be safe,” Hornet mumbled, only for the knight to glance back at her, prompting her to straighten up. “I thought... you were sealed within the temple for a reason.” At that, the knight shuddered, their body convulsing slightly as their memory of the Radiance flickered in their mind briefly.

Behind them, there was a rumbling that caused the group to look back, the knight instinctively stepping away and scooping up Hornet into the crook of their arm at the same time, ignoring her cry of indignation as they watched the black egg dissolve away.

In a single moment, the knight’s heart fell as they realized that the magic tying them to the dream was gone for good. Their breath caught as they turned away from the sight of their former prison, careful to keep their siblings close as they hurried downward.

The Radiance was gone, they knew that. Ignoring the tears that were beginning to flow from their eyes once more, Ghost’s tiny hands gently patted the side of their face in an attempt to comfort them.

 _Siblinghurt? Whysad?_ their worry over the knight only made them cry harder. They needed to get far away from the surface- far away from their memories of the light.

Wrapping the shadows around themselves like a cloak, they pulled themselves and their siblings into the dark.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> god give me the strength to persevere


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Multiple Reunions of varying sorts!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter has some [ BANGIN' gorgeous fanart](http://sternenrehsart.tumblr.com/post/180027258987/some-more-fic-related-fanart-d-im-usually-not) thanks to the very *very* generous sternenreh/eyslyn who drew some thk/radi cuddles which kept me goin through this section which felt very slow for some reason. The ride is halfway over tho and I still plan on finishing this fic before the month is up! Thanks for sticking around, everyone!

The trio re-materialized after what felt like both an eternity and an instant. Falling to the ground, the knight gasped emptily as their siblings both scrambled to gain distance from them, no doubt startled by the sudden transportation.

Rising to their hands and knees, they heaved and coughed and gagged as pain wracked their body. Deepnest was dark, but not as dark as they needed. They craved the presence of the void- Ghost’s essence not enough to sate the desire for familiarity and safety as they forced themselves to stand once more.

_ Wego, _ they shudder, ignoring Ghost’s concern and Hornet’s shout of dissent.  _ WefindHerrah, _ they project as they press onwards, and the two behind them quiet, instead choosing to follow albeit with hesitance in their every step.

They know they are being unreasonable, but as the knight makes their way through Deepnest’s caverns, they catch glimpses of Hornet searching the dark corners for something- or perhaps someone? Since their arrival, they hadn’t seen a single spider, but as they drew closer to the Distant Village, it became obvious that the spiders of the kingdom had all gathered together for some reason. Staring up at the hanging nests above, the knight moved to pick up both Ghost and Hornet, the latter’s shout of surprise cut off as they twisted into the shadows once more.

_ “Princess!” _ The cries of the weavers startled the group as they reappeared within the beast’s den. Hornet leaped from the knight’s hold as she moved to embrace the other spiders.

“Everyone- what’s happening?” she asked, dragged away by her kin as the knight and Ghost peered over the heads of the crowd that had formed within the den. Several of the spiders froze at the sight of the knight towering over them, but when Hornet turned back towards them and told them to hurry, they carefully stepped over the smaller individuals in their way and followed after their sister.

“It’s your mother, Princess,” said one of the weavers. The knight watched Hornet freeze in place briefly before breaking into a near-sprint.

It took some time for the knight to make their way through the remainders of the nest, the beast’s den not built for someone of their size. When they were almost to Herrah’s bedchamber, Ghost had to climb down from their shoulder so they could fit themselves through the entryway.

At their sister’s cry of surprise, the knight finally managed to squeeze their body into the room, Ghost tugging lightly on their arm as they glanced up to see several weavers, as well as Hornet, who was in the midst of embracing her mother.

“My, you’ve certainly grown, haven’t you?” asked Herrah, who failed to get a response from her daughter, as she was in the midst of crying into her mother’s cloak. The knight let out a rumble of happiness at the sight of the two. Their plan had worked, they’d succeeded in freeing the Dreamers. Across from them, Ghost approached their sister while shooting Herrah wary glances, only for the spider queen to give them an odd look. “Strange, I don’t remember there being more of them.”

“Mother- this is Ghost,” said Hornet, amidst cleaning the tears from her mask with the edge of her cloak. “I found them at the edge of our kingdom after you- after you went to sleep. We’re of the same kin,” she admitted, drawing them in with an arm around their shoulder.

At this, Herrah laughed quietly. “You were lucky then, to not face loneliness after I was to complete my end of the bargain.” Then, she shifted her gaze to the knight. “As for you,” she began, rising from where she was seated upon the stone plinth that was once her place of rest. “There is nothing I can say or do that will adequately express my gratitude for what you have done. To free me, as well as the minds of my kin from the plague- I am eternally in your debt.”

When she bowed, the knight couldn’t help but bow back. It was a strange thing, to not only be regarded as an equal, but as a savior.

It was only when Hornet turned to them that they moved to straighten up once more. “What will you do now that you’re free?” she asked. The question made them pause. They hadn’t given much thought as to what they’d do once getting out of the black egg. Though, perhaps before, they would’ve wanted to stay with-

Quickly shaking their thoughts away, the knight looked back at their sister.  _ Rainingcity? Returntokingdom, seewatcherkeeper, _ they responded, before waiting for Hornet to translate their words to her mother.

“I won’t be accompanying you,” she said, “but Ghost might.” Their little sibling nodded in response. Moving from Hornet’s side to the knight’s.

_ Willfollow! Staywithsiblingmine, _ their aura sang with excitement as they clung to the knight’s arm.

“Very well, if that is what you choose.” In an instant, her needle was raised at them. “You’d best watch over them carefully. You’ll have me to answer to if they don’t return unharmed.” Nodding sharply, the knight watched both Hornet and Herrah return their focus to each other. Briefly, they felt a pang of jealousy. They’d never known true affection from the wyrm, and they doubted that they ever would.

  
  


Getting to the City of Tears was a simple matter of traveling the hidden pathways of darkness and shade until they once again emerged on the other side of the world with their sibling in tow. The knight immediately looked up when the first drop of water made contact with their mask, and when they held out their hand, an unearthly sound like laughter escaped them.

It felt like forever since they’d last been here.

With Ghost still sitting atop their shoulders, they turn and began making their way to the spire in the center of the city. Along the way, they took notice of the bugs who seemed to be rousing themselves from sleep, while the city guards who weren’t preoccupied with assisting the waking populace stared at the knight with awe as they passed.

When they reached the towering building at the city’s heart, they let out a sigh, the familiarity of the place sinking into their body as they slowly ascended, while Ghost excitedly glanced about- their gaze flittering from one area to another as they marveled at the finely decorated halls, as dilapidated as they were.

The lower levels of the spire were mostly empty, though the upper sections still had guards patrolling their floors- guards which ceased what they were doing to pause at the sight of the knight, who barely gave the other bugs a passing glance as they continued higher.

It was the room that formerly housed the Watcher Knights that caused them to slow, however, as the empty shells littering the room prompted them to stop and stare. Lurien’s guards likely had died some time ago, their bodies emptied when the infection took possession of them.

Letting Ghost climb down from their shoulder, they knelt by the shells and let their hand linger on the surface for a brief moment.

How many others had they failed in their inability to achieve their purpose? The knight shuddered as their sibling moved to lay a hand on their arm, concern flooding forth even as they stood once more.

The elevator ride to the top of the spire left them with a sense of sorrow. Even with Ghost curled up against their chest, the knight couldn’t help but feel anxious. Their insides twisted with discomfort, and as soon as the lift reached its destination, they crawled out carefully and set their sibling down so they could lean against the wall as they attempted to catch their breath.

“...Little one? Is that you?” A new voice caused them to freeze, but when Ghost left their side to inspect the other occupant of the room, they found themselves staring up at their former caretaker, Lurien’s eye meeting theirs. “Ah, well, I suppose I won’t be able to call you that any longer, will I, Pure? The last time I saw you, you were about the same size as this one-” he said, looking down at Ghost, who was peering up at him with curiosity. “Hello there, I don’t believe we’ve met.”

Shifting so they could crouch in the space they were given, the knight did their best to approach without letting their horns scrape against the ceiling. When they got close enough, Lurien moved to settle a hand against their cheek. Sighing deeply, they melted into the familiar touch. It had been so long-

“I don’t suppose you know why I’ve woken? My role as a dreamer was supposed to last an eternity, and yet-” He drew in a sharp breath, “Everything has changed without me, hasn’t it? I sent my assistant to survey the city without me. How are you here? What happened to the seals?” Lurien asked, and the knight could do nothing but drop their head into his grasp. Understanding what they wanted, he gently stroked the underside of their horns, humming quietly.

“None of us expected this outcome, I’m sure. You must be exhausted...” he whispered, just before the knight found themselves too tired to keep holding their body up. Slowly, they lowered themselves to the ground and moved to lie on their side, letting out a quiet huff as Ghost sat next to their face. When Lurien knelt at their side as well, for a moment, the knight could pretend they were young once again, visiting the spire while their father made preparations for their sealing. “Sleep now, Pure. The kingdom will wait for you for once.”

They wanted so badly to believe his words, but instead of fighting against the urge, they let themselves give in to their need for rest.

 


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> uhh here we are going full tilt into the second half of this fic! do read the tags, warnings for stuff will be up there

The world was empty. They should’ve found comfort in that, but for some reason, they only felt crushing, deafening claustrophobia as the world around them held its silence. They were alone- they hated being alone.

“Oh...my shadow.” A voice, one so familiar and warm. They spun about in the emptiness they were floating in. They wanted to find it-  _ needed _ to find it.

When they saw the light in the distance, tears immediately sprung to their eyes. It was her,  _ it was Her! _ She was here, with them, they weren’t alone, they weren’t the only one trapped in the darkness.

Their legs pushed them forward towards her, but as hard as they ran, it felt like they never drew any closer to her, that bright point in the distance remaining untouchable even as her voice carried back to them.  _ “Radi- Radiance! I’m here! I’m coming!” _ they cried, the inky tears falling from their face and melding with their surroundings.  _ “Please! Wait for me! Don’t leave me again!” _ They wanted to scream as their body refused to bring them closer to her.

“Pure...” How they’d missed her voice- and to hear her speak their name? Their body convulsed with agony as she came closer to them on her own, and terror flooded their chest when they watched her body begin to fall apart. Her feathers sloughing off her wings just as they had been the last time they’d seen her. Even still, when she was floating right in front of them, they couldn’t help but sob as she cradled their face, pressing her forehead against theirs.

“Ah, love...” she whispered, and the knight trembled as they brought their arms up to clutch desperately at the down that hadn’t crumbled away from her frame. “Why...?”

Looking up at her with confusion and desperation, they tightened their hold.  _ “Why what?” _ they asked, only for their body to seize up as the light in her eyes went out- pitch black fluid pouring from her face and spilling onto them. They were drowning-

“...Why did you let me die...?”

Someone was screaming- was it them? They couldn’t tell in between the flood of ichor filling their lungs and the tears spilling from their eyes like a fountain.

_ “Please, please Radiance-! I didn’t mean to let you die! I didn’t want you to! I didn’t-!” _ Their thoughts echoed out even as the screaming consumed any other sound, but soon it felt like they’d been completely consumed by the tide.

“Ah... you consumed my light, my life, and so now I will take back what you have stolen from me...” Her voice- once soft and gentle now razed their senses. It felt like their body was going to come apart. Their arm- the one they’d damaged while breaking the seals -was coming apart, the cracks in their shell they’d thought had healed now coming undone once more.

_ “No- no, Radiance I’m sorry! I’m sorry-!” _ In an instant, they let out a horrible shriek of pain, their throat going numb as the agonized sound ripped itself out of them as their arm split completely, leaving only pieces of shell attached at the shoulder. They could do nothing- neither move nor escape the situation they were trapped in.

Coughing up sticky black fluid, they let themselves succumb to the ripples of pain still coursing through their body, their left hand clutching the place where their right arm once was.

_ “I’m sorry I failed you, I loved you- I love you!” _ How strange that they could admit such a thing to themselves now, after the one they cared so much for was gone. Why was this happening to them? They knew she was dead. It hurt-  _ it Hurt. “I wanted to stay with you, to be with you-! Now there’s nothing of you left!” _

 

“Now, that isn’t all true.” Trembling, the knight spun about once more. They hadn’t stopped crying, but now the tears came even harder as they saw her once more. However, this time, when the Radiance reached out for them, they held back, not trusting it to not be another illusion- another cruel trick played on themselves by the desires in their mind.

It was only when they were safely nestled in her wings that they allowed themselves to sob with relief. Though they could only hold on to her with one arm, she carefully wrapped them in her velvety grasp as their body continued to shake.

“Forgive me, I needed time to recover, but I took too long in returning to you.” But they didn’t care about the wait. She was here with them, really, truly, and they never wanted to be separated again. “This is what I was afraid would happen,” she sighed, tenderly shifting a wing so that the individual strands could inspect the remains of their arm as she cradled them. “You shouldn’t have tried to take on the spell’s magic on your own- I can’t mend this.” Her voice was filled with regret but they found themselves wholly lacking any as they buried their face into the feathers covering her chest.

_ “I do not care! You are alive! You are here, and I am with you!” _ If the Radiance minded the black tear-stains they were getting all over her, she said nothing of them.  _ “I can live without an arm, but not without your presence-!” _ Their mental tirade paused as the Radiance’s form shrunk down to the one they’d seen her as before, her body fitting against theirs perfectly as she curled around them- as though she was trying to meld them both together.

“What a ridiculous creature you are,” she said, a mixture of amusement and sorrow in her tone. “I did not ask you to sacrifice for me. In fact, I did not want you to. The rage I once felt has cooled and without it I see reason unconstrained. The wyrm’s opposition of me must have meant something if my children so willingly fled from me to serve him. I am thankful for what you have done, but in all truth, I do not see why you insist on my perpetuation.” For a moment, they felt panic well up in their chest. They couldn’t be separated from her a second time.

_ “I cannot speak for your kin, as I am not of their like, but I was made to fight you, to be your enemy, and yet-” _ they felt like the world was closing in on them once more, their breath hitching.  _ “The light of my sire is nothing compared to yours, and I would rather remain by your side than be alone again.” _ How easy it had been for their feelings to come forth when everything was coming apart. Their mind was scattered, but it went silent when she squeezed them softly.

“Ah... I see now...” This time, the Radiance let go, setting them adrift once more. When they reached out for her, she drew back, hovering just out of reach. “Even as you are, my shadow, I cannot replace what you’ve lost, just as you cannot replace what has been taken from me.”

_ “No- no, Radiance don’t-” _ they began, their eyes already beginning to mist over once more.  _ “Don’t leave me, not again- please!”  _ Their one arm brushed against the tip of her wing, and this time, she seemed to shudder at the scant touch, her eyes brimming with distress before she came close once more.

When she moved to cradle their head between her wings, they leaned into the touch and let her brush the remnants of their tears from their face before she pressed a kiss against their forehead, their body lighting up with surprise just before she pulled away.

“It’s time for you to wake up, love.” Their head shot up in surprise at her words, and by the time they noticed themselves fading, it was already too late. Their thoughts fell away like dust in the wind, but as they stared at her- betrayal and pain and adoration flooding their mind all at once, they only had time to hear her say one more thing.

“Do look after them for me. Perhaps we shall see each other again soon...” Reaching out with their one good arm, they didn’t even have a chance to ask her what she meant before they were-

 

The knight sat up sharply, their chest heaving and rolling with agony as they fell onto their side, coughing wetly against the ground as they found themselves lying in a pool of their own blood. Rolling onto their back, they gasped for air while using their left arm to reach for their right. When they found nothing there, they let themselves go limp, focusing all their energy on trying to steady their breathing.

“Pure-? We’ve returned with- oh, dear thing, what’s happened to you-!?” When they glanced up, Lurien was at their side, kneeling in the black, sticky mess that was the remnants of their arm, while Ghost ran to their side.

_ Siblinghurtwhyhurt Armgonemissinghurthowfix? _ they asked, waves of concern mixed with fear washing over them as they struggled to lift themselves back up using only one hand.

Instead of replying, they moved to prop themselves up against the wall while Lurien ran to retrieve bandages from his room. Undoing the clasp keeping their cloak around their shoulders- it would have to be discarded, as torn and stained as the fabric was -and letting it fall to the ground, the knight jumped with surprise and lowered their hand to their midsection, the ensuing bout of pain not registering as they saw the faintest hint of a glow lingering just beneath their shell. They had... they were-

Just as Lurien arrived with several rolls of bandages and miscellaneous torn fabric in his arms, the knight pitched forward and fell to the ground, their mind going blissfully blank once more as the realization of what the Radiance had meant finally sank in.

Somehow, someway, they were carrying her child.   
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> anyways!!!!!!!!   
> [more incredible art by eyslyn!!!](https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/347591796341342209/511569497669238814/HKFA_9.jpeg) ghost plaps to heal your weary soul


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> /eyes emoji/

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Blessedly, we've got [more art by sternenreh!!!!](http://sternenrehsart.tumblr.com/post/180068406632/huff-its-hard-to-keep-up-with-the-chapters)  
> Please lavish them with attention bc their work is _amaaaazing_

Slowly raising their head, Pure sighed deeply before returning to their previous position of being curled up within the nest of assorted pillows, cushions, and tapestries they were using as makeshift blankets. Ghost was nestled against their side, their sibling carefully pressed up against them to soak up the warmth their body exuded. When they looked up, they spied Lurien sitting across from them, his desk space being the only part of the room not occupied by bedding. When he heard them exhale, Lurien turned about to face them.

“Finally awake, I see?” He stood from his seat and moved to where they were laying. As he pressed a hand against the side of their face, they let out a quiet rumble of contentment. They were filled with a sense of safety and contentment for the first time in their life. “Hm, still warm, but that might just be a side effect of your previous condition,” Lurien mumbled, before moving to draw the curtains closed over the windows. “At the very least, it’s better than you having a chill from the rain. I know your body isn’t used to how cold it can be up here.”

Humming with pleasure as the breeze was stifled by the fabric keeping it at bay, Pure rolled onto their back, and let Ghost settle in against their shoulder. With Lurien’s care, they found themselves healing quickly and soon were able to make short trips into the city. It had taken some time to get used to only having one arm- though they were trained to be able to wield their nail with both, the weeks they’d spent play-fighting with their sibling were integral to relearning how to balance themselves.

 _Siblingwake?_ Ghost had apparently woken as well and was now prodding gently at their shell. _Howfeeleggsafe?_ they asked, and Pure rolled over carefully to reveal the fragile, translucent orb they’d been holding to their chest. A faint orange light shone from within, and they hummed noiselessly as their sibling placed a hand on its surface with utmost care.

When they’d first discovered the presence of the egg developing within them, they wanted to scream, cry, anything to articulate how they felt. However, in the waking world, they were unable to express themselves properly, and subjecting Ghost to their wails had done nothing but upset them. In the end, they’d come to terms with it- the presence of the child explaining several things.

It was in their nature- the inherent essence of the void was to consume, to contain, and from the very moment they reached the realm of dreams, they had been drawing in that energy and storing it within themselves. Pure had lamented their existence when they realized that it would have been impossible for them to remain with the Radiance in her own land without draining her.

Yet, their energies opposed each other. They couldn’t hold on to the power they’d taken for long. Somehow, their body had molded the essence of the Radiance into something different, something unique, and Pure was... excited, to see what they’d created with her.

To their disappointment, none of the times they’d slept after their brief reunion with the Radiance had allowed them to see her again. Their nights remained dreamless and empty, leaving them longing for her in their waking hours.

They only wished she could share such an experience with them.

 _Soon? Hatchsoon?_ Ghost looked up at them and Pure felt that familiar warmth in their chest.

 _Yesmaybe? Amhopeful, patientpatientwaiting,_ they replied, shifting so they could sit up and hold the egg up in one hand. Truly they had no idea how long it would take for it to hatch, but they spent their days enveloped in a veil of constant anticipation.

“Pure? I have to leave the spire for a while. The guards need overseeing for some of the rebuilding and there’s no one left to supervise them except for me. Would you like to come along?” When they shook their head no, he nodded. “Very well, you know where to find me should you need anythi-” Lurien paused when Ghost climbed down from the pillow nest and moved to tug on his cloak. “Would you like to join me then? How kind.” At the sound of Lurien’s faint laughter, Pure felt a distant sense of happiness reach them.

They’d missed this feeling of comfort.

“We shall return soon!” Lurien said, Ghost following him out of the room before the curtain covering the doorway fell closed once more, leaving Pure with their egg in the dark of the room. Settling back into the bedding once more, they rested their hand atop the precious orb next to them and tried to imagine what their child would look like before falling asleep.

 

⋆ ✩ ⋆

 

She was so close, the world she’d been banished from- she could almost feel the breeze in her feathers and the essence of life around her once more. With the wyrm’s spell on her broken, and her shadow no longer leaching away her light, it was a somewhat simple task of freeing herself.

The Radiance had been desperately holding onto every ounce of strength that returned to her body after the seals were broken. In a brief moment of weakness, she’d peered through the thinned veil to see her love on the other side, their regrets taking on her own shape and tormenting them with her memory.

She’d used some of her power to break apart that dream and send them back to where she belonged, but not before she realized that something had changed about them.

It was easy for her to tell even at a distance. She could recognize a part of herself no matter how small or how changed it’d become, and it was obvious that the essence that they’d taken from her had taken on a new form.

But she could not let them stay in the dream with her. If she wanted any chance of being with them, she needed to _get out-_

The stone encasing her body shuddered as she screamed from within. It wouldn’t be long now. Every pulse of energy she sent out- every twitch of her wings and shudder of her body wore away the prison she’d been entombed in a little more.

Every moment she spent struggling to free herself was a moment she could be spending with the only being who had shown her compassion in hundreds of years, and that wasn’t even taking into consideration the time she could be losing with their child.

 _Their child..._ It seemed almost too good to be true. After losing the last of her descendants, that she would get a second chance? Her chest swelled with hope, and after one more grand stretch, the stone cracked and crumbled with the force of her unearthly cry.

When she finally managed a glimpse at the outside world, that was all she needed to push through the rest of the rock holding her body captive. The pieces came away with some effort, and when her wings were freed, it only took a few flaps for her to properly pull herself out of the remnants.

Shaking the dust from her body, she let her halo flare out, the dull, lifeless sky over the valley brightening as her presence chased away the long-dark that had pervaded it for centuries.

Only seconds after she’d freed herself, the Radiance sighed as she sank to the ground, spinning in place and letting her body shift until she was small enough to walk among the bugs who lived beneath her sky. Staring down at the world below, she allowed herself a moment to take in the feeling of relief. Her body- her mind, all was as it should’ve been, and now that she was back in the land of the waking-

Spreading her wings, she leaped from the cliff, and let the winds carry her downwards. It was time to find her shadow.


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> its the chapter where quirrel appears

When they next woke, Pure could tell something in the air had changed. They immediately propped themselves up on their good arm and glanced around the room. Something was different, they could feel it. Their body felt electrified, and somewhere in their chest, the void rose up with excitement. If they closed their eyes and focused they could feel the abyss singing- a song of restored balance, the return of the force which opposed it.  
  
Pure slowly lifted their body out of their nest and picked up their egg, cradling it close. They remembered this feeling- how familiar it was to the first time they’d been pulled into the dream by Chande’s magic.   
  
In their hold, the egg pulsed with warmth, drawing their attention back onto that precious thing. The energy it exuded reminded them so strongly of its mother. Was it their child’s presence that was making them feel such a way?   
  
Before they were allowed a chance to consider it further, Lurien drew back the curtains separating the main room from his study, his head peeking in as he briefly scanned the room before spotting them.   
  
“Ah- there you are. Already up, I see! Are you feeling well enough to travel?” Pure nodded, and as they stood, he beckoned them towards him, Lurien smiling as they followed him out of the room. “We’ll be making a short trip to Fog Canyon today. I received a message from one of Monomon’s assistants a while ago. She requested your presence, but I wasn’t sure if you were well enough to make it the whole way considering-” When his gaze shifted from their egg to the place where their other arm once was, they felt a sense of understanding.   
  
For not the first time since their return, Pure was thankful that Lurien was looking out for them.   
  
Once they reached the bottom floor, they were surprised to see Hornet leaning against a wall, Ghost at her side, their sibling projecting a sense of excitement as they and their sister approached. Pure noticed Hornet’s apprehensive look, but when she brought her hands up from behind her back, delight immediately flooded them at the sight of a folded up, silvery cloak in her hands.   
  
As she avoided meeting their eyes, she shook out the fabric and motioned for them to lean down so she could wrap it around their shoulders, deftly fashioning the clasp and letting them stand once more as the folds of the cloak unfurled around them. Carefully spinning once, Pure marveled as the new clothing enveloped them before fixing their sister with a look of gratitude. At that, Hornet shuffled in place, ignoring Ghost’s silent laugh at her expense.   
  
“They told me... that you needed a new cloak. So,” she coughed quietly, “consider it repayment in exchange for... for bringing my mother back to me.” When she looked back up, Pure had already knelt down to press their face against hers.   
  
_Thankyouthankyousister,_ they hummed, warbling quietly with joy as she brought her arms up to their shoulders, patting them gently.   
  
“It was the least I could do,” she said, before drawing away, Ghost lightly pushing her aside so they could move to reach up for Pure, who chittered with delight as their little sibling scrambled up onto their shoulder.   
  
When Lurien finally reunited with them, he gave Hornet a quick look, his gaze snapping to her horns before he made a half-bow in her direction.   
  
“Hornet, I presume?” Her sharp nod at his inquiry left him with a smile that Pure felt rather than saw. “You’re Herrah’s daughter,” he said, more to himself than to her. Before she could bring up his odd response to her presence, he’d already gone ahead, beckoning to Pure and Ghost, who followed in his wake while Hornet kept her distance, sticking to Pure’s side while Ghost went ahead- pestering the Watcher into letting them hold his hand.   
  
As she stood just behind them, Hornet hissed out, “I don’t trust him. He says my mother’s name with too much familiarity,” under her breath, while Pure could only lightly tilt their head in confusion at her words.   
  
_Threesealsthreedreamers,_ they said, the unearthly whispers of the void within going unheard by the one-eyed bug in front of them, _burdensharedandkept, stilltiedstillbound._ When Hornet looked back up at them they let out a short puff of air, amused at her reaction.   
  
“It doesn’t matter if he once knew her because of their duty. He still has no right to speak of her with such casuality,” she bit out. Shaking their head, Pure realized that she would be determined to view Lurien however she wished and nothing they said or did would change such a fact. Glancing down at their egg, they sighed inwardly. It was perhaps, too much to ask for peace in their family.   
  
  
  
  
  
The group arrived at Fog Canyon in two separate pairs. While Lurien and Ghost were fine with riding the stagways to the station that lied just below the archives, Pure had bemusedly accepted Hornet’s request that they took her with them through the shadows, seeing how they were now too tall to ride the stags, and didn’t want to risk the chance of their movement jostling their egg from their one-handed grip.   
  
When the darkness released its hold on their forms, Pure blinked once and looked around. They’d only been to the canyon a few times- the strangely muted but pervasive atmosphere leaving them feeling disoriented. As they followed Hornet up into the foggy landscape above, they paused several times to stare at the odd gelatinous creatures floating about, before their sister pulled gently on their cloak to remind them of where they were going.   
  
As soon as they reached the archives, Pure could see Lurien and Ghost waiting for them along with two other bugs, one dressed in the familiar robes of the City of Tear’s upper caste- Lurien’s assistant, they realized -while the other was wearing a simple hood.   
  
“Pure! There you are.” Hurrying to Lurien’s side, they let him raise a hand to their egg’s surface. The gentle touch of their caretaker was nothing to fear when it came to their child’s safety, thankfully. “Are you ready to go in?” When they nodded, the hooded bug perked up.   
  
“Oh- I didn’t realize you were the one that- well, nevermind that. I’m Quirrel, your majesty,” he said, bowing sharply, causing Pure to draw themselves up in confusion. Their royal heritage hadn’t been mentioned since their return. If anything, they’d assumed that most had forgotten it.   
  
At their questioning glance, Quirrel straightened out and motioned towards the archives. “My teacher has been expecting you for some time! Sir Lurien insisted that you be given time to recover from- ah-” In the midst of his explanation, his eyes finally fell on the egg they held. “That is...”   
  
“The reason why we’ve been late in coming, Quirrel. Shall we, everyone?” Lurien asked, patting the smaller bug firmly before moving past him as the rest of their group slowly made their way inside. With a quick chitter of amusement at Quirrel’s surprise, Pure stepped into the building before them.   


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> nano halfway over pray for me, guys


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Science, Jellies, and Slugs

The inside of the archives was unexpectedly warm. As Pure followed Lurien deeper into the halls of the building, they observed the softly glowing jellies that bobbed and floated midair. Something in the recesses of their memories stirred as they took in their surroundings. Days where the Pale King brought them to the archives to be examined- their accelerated growth needing to be monitored constantly to make sure it didn’t affect their ability to seal away the Radiance.

“My, it’s been a while, hasn’t it, Lurien?” A familiar voice brought them out of their thoughts and back into the present, and when Pure looked up, they saw Monomon floating nearby, one of her tentacles curling against Lurien’s cheek.

“It has- much too long a while for my taste-” he replied, Pure’s face flushing when they saw him move to kiss the appendage still caressing his face. “But there will be time for catching up later, yes?” As the two interacted, Pure felt more and more like they were seeing something that wasn’t meant for them.

Almost as if their thoughts had reached the other two, Monomon pulled away from the other bug and turned to face them. “Oh! There you are,” she said, before floating over to them and bringing her tentacles up to lightly prod at their face. “You gave me quite a scare before. I wasn’t expecting you to- well, what’s done is done, isn’t it? The infection is no more and you’re here, with us.” Pure hummed noiselessly as she looked them over. “Hm, what’s this now?” At her surprise, they looked down to see her tentacles just a few inches away from their egg.

Hesitating slightly, they extended their arm so she could observe it more closely, unsure of how she’d react. When she moved- slowly, carefully, they noticed -to touch the egg, she briefly recoiled at the heat it gave off, before returning a single tentacle to its smooth surface, a noise of interest escaping her as she tilted her head.

“So... you and the Old Light,” she mumbled, causing them to draw back slightly, their chest thrumming with worry. “I’ll admit, I’m not quite as surprised as I might have been, had I not seen her with you. You know, it was quite a feat I had to achieve in order to summon Quirrel back from the wilds,” Monomon chided, one of her tentacles poking them in the middle of their forehead. “He’s lucky he was able to return to the kingdom with most of his memories intact, aren’t you Quirrel?”

Behind them, Monomon’s assistant was finally catching up to them, carefully excusing himself past Ghost and Hornet, who gave him amused glances as he moved to the front of the group, bowing sharply in his mistress’ direction.

“I’m incredibly lucky, my lady- but I-” he coughed sharply and motioned at Pure, “did you not summon them here for a reason?” At his question, Monomon seemed to remember that they hadn’t all traveled to the archives for a leisurely visit.

“Thank you for the reminder, Quirrel. Pure, if you would?” As she drifted away, Pure couldn’t help but feel a sense of nostalgia as they were beckoned towards her. When they moved to follow, however, Ghost darted forward to pull on the edge of their cloak. Pausing in their stride, they leaned down and let their sibling place their hands against their face.

 _Willreturn? Comeback?_ they asked, their worry bleeding into Pure’s own thoughts. Instead of replying, Pure gave them a nod before gently nudging them away so they were free to follow Monomon.

“Pure...?” At her voice, they picked themselves up once more and trailed after her, not allowing themselves to glance back.

 

⋆ ✩ ⋆

 

“This place cannot have changed so much in my absence, could it?” The Radiance murmured to herself as she made her way past overgrown greenery, the whispering, chirping beasts of the lands ruled by her fellow higher being. “You’ve grown so quiet. Your children cry for you- can you hear them?”

The path untouched by the pale usurper had become so thickly entangled with vines that not even she could push past them- their power, even in the midst of slumber, held against her own divine will, leaving her to traverse the routes of the common bug. The farther she traveled into the dense plant-growth, the more she could feel it, the thrumming song of another like herself.

It was the lake that echoed that powerful presence back at her. As soon as she’d reached it, the song stopped, leaving her disoriented.

“Home... is so close.” When she cast her gaze over the wide open cavern, she spotted a solitary knight standing at the lake’s edge. One of the children of green, she realized, and as soon as they approached, they swiftly brandished their nail in her direction before stalling at the sight of her as she towered over them.

Flicking her eyes to the side, she saw the shine- the dilapidated structure which one stood as a place of worship was worn and crumbling, and the Radiance felt a brief hint of regret wash over her. Carefully brushing the moss knight aside with her wing, she moved to kneel at the end of the walkway extending just over the surface of the bubbling acid.

“How much time has passed since we last met, my friend?” The title felt unfamiliar. She and the Green One had never been any more than peacefully uninterested in each other, but as she stood in front of their dwelling, she couldn’t help but feel obligated to try and communicate with one of those who had long ago shared the lands divided within the crater. “I felt your presence even from above these caverns, even diverged paths from my searching to come find you, yet I see your realm now divided.”

Craning her neck, she stared up at the floating creatures hovering above the lake. “She claimed a piece of your world as her own in the absence of her homeland, did She not? Did such an act scorn you so that you would willingly hide yourself from kin and creation? Even here, they seek you out. Why have you left them behind?” The lake provided no answers to her questions, the hissing of acid only accompanied by the quiet whimpers of the knight behind her. The Radiance couldn’t see her reflection in the liquid below, but soon the bubbling surface began to froth, a massive shape taking form from underneath.

She had precious few seconds to scramble to her feet and get a good distance away before a spray of caustic fluid reached the place where she’d just been kneeling. Above her, Unn had raised the upper half of themselves out of the lake, somehow managing to look equal parts tired and annoyed at her with their eyestalks.

“...You are alive...” they said, as if they couldn’t quite believe what they’d just said.

“Last I checked, I never died,” she responded, ignoring how the moss knight had thrown themselves to the ground beside her at the sight of the giant slug. “You are awake.”

At that, they groaned, the sound reverberating through her very body as they slouched forward. “Unfortunately... to sleep an age... no greater dream than such unending rest,” they mumbled, before blinking lazily at her. “Why do you come here, Light? Do you seek to usurp my grounds as the pale ones have? The Root extends her hold throughout what once was my southernmost sanctuary. If you’ve any grievances then simply do as you wish and leave me to my slumber.”

The Radiance drew back with surprise at their words. “I did not come here to take from you, I only wanted to ask about the state of things- your realm, it decays in your absence.” Unn yawned as she spoke, a deep and dry sound which left her feeling just the slightest bit irritated at the other being’s nonchalant attitude.

“You are one to speak of decaying and absences, are you not? A fire who burns with no lights to kindle her flame- your power cannot even touch me, dampened and diminished as I am,” they hummed with a dull sort of amusement, and the Radiance only grew more annoyed. “As for the little ones... all things die. Even you, even I someday. If it is their time then soon, very soon, they will return to me, and perhaps one day I shall think of them again, when I have remembered that they once existed.”

Something about their admission made her sick. The Radiance couldn’t ever remember thinking of her children with such little emotion for them. The moths had been her offspring- the literal children of her heart, which she’d lovingly crafted and made. In the ages following the birth of their race, she’d bathed them in her light, sang to them in their dreams, done everything and anything so that they might relish in her presence. But this- the uncaring, unfeeling air that Unn projected -was unlike anything she could remember.

“Is that how you see them? Your precious creations? Perhaps it is better you and I never knew each other before the Pale one came to these lands. You would have burned, Green one,” she whispered, her voice deadly cold even though the flame of anger stoked itself high within her breast.

Even as she spoke, the other seemed entirely unbothered by her admission. “You grow so attached to that which you make. It was your downfall,” they said, before rolling their eyes back. “If there is nothing else... Maybe I shall see you again at the end of this world.” She didn’t have a chance to speak before they’d fled back beneath the surface of the lake, leaving nothing to even hint that they’d been there at all. As the Radiance stared at the place where their head had been looming above her, her displeasure at the other being filled her with a storm of mixed emotions.

Glancing back at the moss knight, she realized they hadn’t so much as moved an inch from the spot they’d been folded up- holding their position of respect towards their creator even after they’d left. Approaching them slowly, she prodded them with a wing until they looked up at her, obviously surprised that Unn had left without speaking a single word towards their ever-loyal servant.

“Oh wilting child of the neglectful god who sleeps here, ignorant of your devotion- take me to the heart of these lands. There’s something I want to see.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> comment because i need feedback to liv e and also it makes me write faster


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> this is peak family moment

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> god this chapter is a monster

As the Radiance followed the somewhat cowed knight through the winding walkways of Unn’s domain, she took notice of every foliage-covered creature that emerged from the undergrowth to peer up at her. Many of them were dressed in wilting leaves, the edges of their cloaks and shells turning just the slightest tinge of brown.

She knew that although their appearances spoke of sickness- much of the damage likely caused by her own accidental influence on them -it was only thanks to her understanding as a creator that she could see the signs of disconnect from the one who had dreamed them into being in the first place.

“I see that Unn has decided to abandon their care for your kind,” she said softly, noting how the knight’s leafy antennae dropped lower at her words. What must it have felt like? To wait an age for a being you adored to show themselves, only to be shunned in an instant- a fate most cruel for kin dedicated to their creator. “You and yours are dying. I see it in these lands and in your eyes.” The Radiance received no reply from her guide, yet she could still feel it, an air of acceptance and sorrow that permeated the space around her.

Those who lived among the paths of green knew of their fate, yet without their connection to that slumbering god, they were left adrift in the sea of existence. To float untethered to that which gave them life- it would be their end, and the children of leaf had slowly been coming to the realization of such a truth since before even the pale one’s rule.

“How painful an existence they have doomed you to.” The Radiance shook her head slowly, deliberately drawing her attention away from the procession she’d noticed was growing behind her. The moss knight was still dutifully leading her to the center of the lands, unaware of the crowd that trailed behind them.

It was only when they’d reached the halls that formerly served as the home to the once flourishing green courts that her guide stopped and turned to face her once more, only to blanch at the sight of their kin gathered behind her, all of them hushed with anticipation as the Radiance finally focused her gaze upon them.

While most seemed to quail under the intensity of her stare, the youngest of the crowd only looked up at her with a timid sort of curiosity. She was a new and strange thing in their world, but hopefully, that wouldn’t be the case for long.

Kneeling on the moss-covered stone, the Radiance beckoned the knight to follow her example, and only when one of the shortest mosskin dared to approach her did she soften- holding out a wing for the smaller being to reach out for.

“Hello there, little one,” she said, keeping her voice as gentle as possible. “I’ve no doubt you have no idea who, or what I am. But the rest of you...” When she lifted her gaze to the crowd, she could see several of them watching her with distrust and unease. “You can feel it, can’t you? That which is missing from all of us.”

A rippling wave of noise spread throughout those gathered before her- a sound like wind blowing through leaves echoed among the cavern, before one of the mossy bugs stepped forth to carefully place their hand on the shoulders of the tiny mosskin still clutching the tip of her wing.

“Old one whose presence rouses us from sleep... Yours is a like unknown to us, yet you are correct. This emptiness in our minds- it calls us to you,” they said. Although their words were lost in the quiet chittering of a language the Radiance could not understand, she could feel their thoughts, each of them already reaching out to her whether unknowingly or otherwise.

Unn did not miss that connection to their children. They did not crave it, or long for that which once was. The Radiance couldn’t imagine nor fathom what it was like to live such an unregretful and lonely existence. Even now, the missing piece in her mind and heart that was once occupied by the moths still ached with yearning for her lost kin.

“I would not ask it of you. To abandon them, or to replace them. I understand that your loyalty is what has kept you all alive for so long even in their absence, yet...” When she took in the hopeful gazes of the bugs gathered around her, a feeling similar to the one she’d felt when she first breathed life into her creations came to mind. It’d stolen her breath away to see the creatures she’d formed and molded from herself step out of the dream and turn their sights upon Her. This wasn’t quite the same, but it was enough to stoke the flame of affection in her heart which had gone cold so long ago. “My children are gone, and your god has closed themselves off to you. The answer to both our problems hangs before us.”

All at once, the mosskin turned to each other, the sound of leaves rustling becoming louder than she thought possible. The knight who had dutifully kept to her side all throughout her speech stood and moved to calm its fellows, while the small one and elder watched her with new understanding.

Briefly, the Radiance thought back to her love. What would they think after seeing her again? She’d searched for them on the surface to no avail, but in descending into the caverns below, she’d become distracted, and now-

“You offer, Old One.” The Radiance shook herself lightly as the mosskin’s voice drew her back into the present. “You would grant us all that our creator once did, even with our differing natures? The lights have never touched these grounds. We do not know what would happen should we accept. The promise of relinquishing of our thoughts to another who may abandon us is one we cannot risk.”

Such a sentiment didn’t bother her in the slightest. “It is understandable, that you would be wary of me and the power I hold. Yet it would be my own undoing, to tie myself to closely to your kind only to tear your minds asunder. Such an act would mean my death as well,” she said, trying to not let herself seem fazed by their words. “I only seek to achieve a balance for the both of us.” At this, the crowd appeared to calm- the rustling ceasing as the air in the room became still.

“...If you are certain in this, then-” All at once, the Radiance felt as though she’d been overcome by the tides. Hundreds of voices, hundreds of _minds,_ now opened to her. She could see them- feel them, the sea of greens that awaited her-

Ignoring the tears that sprang to her eyes, she spread her wings and reached out with the remnants of divine power that were left within her. “Thank you all... I will not fail you for this kindness,” she said, her voice trembling.

With that, she fully let go of her previous bearings, and welcomed in the flood.

 

⋆ ✩ ⋆

 

Monomon’s office was surprisingly bare, and Pure found themselves seated before her with little fanfare as she proceeded to examine every inch of them, her tentacles roving over their limbs and face as she carefully catalogued each and every change they’d undergone since the sealing took place. As she inspected them, they couldn’t help but longingly glance at where their egg was lying on a pillow a short distance away.

“Well, you’ve grown some, that much is obvious, but there’s also this-” she started, as one of her limbs pointed towards the place where their arm had come apart, the scars from the magic coursing through their body spreading outwards and extending past their chest. As Monomon parted their cloak to observe the damage, she made a quiet noise of discomfort, prompting them to tilt their head at her in confusion. “Pure... the damage to your body- it’s irreparable. Surely you know this.”

Their nod of understanding didn’t seem to lift her spirits at all. “In that case, you know what would happen should you attempt anything quite that strenuous again,” she said, carefully holding the sides of their face as she stared into their eyes. “The magic that the wyrm used on you, as well as us, was never meant to be torn apart with brute force. Our survival was predicated on you somehow absorbing the backlash of energy that the spell released once it was undone. You’re quite lucky to be alive. If it weren’t for the Old Light’s interference, you may not have-” Monomon paused, her tentacles pausing in their semi-frantic waving as the faint noise of something cracking echoed within the room.

Before they knew what they were doing, Pure stood and took two lengthy steps to reach their egg, immediately dropping to their knees in front of it as the surface of the shell split apart, a faint light shining out from within.

Just the sight of it made their chest overflow with emotion, a rush of tears spilling from their eyes as they took in the sight of their child breaching forth into the world. They were so enraptured that they didn’t even notice Monomon quickly move out of the room to summon the rest of the group from outside.

Pure’s entire body began to shake the moment the soft-bodied larva broke through the shell- the light within going out as the tiny life that it had housed for several weeks opened its eyes for the first time. If they had a voice they surely would’ve been crying out loud, their very being overwhelmed with happiness at the sight of their child.

 _Hellosmallone! Sweetdearthingmine,_ they hummed and cooed at it as the shared presence of the void within them both vibrated with joy. Their baby was happy to see them as well, and they could feel it, a sensation resonating so deeply within their chest that it caused a whole new flood of tears to spring forth.

When Ghost burst into the room, followed by Hornet, Pure had no reservations about their appearance, even as black liquid continued to drip off their face and onto the floor as they cradled their hatchling close.

 _Siblingsisterlooklook!_ Their excitement reached Ghost first, their smaller sibling running to their side while Hornet attempted to keep her stride measured, even though Pure could sense her nearly overflowing anticipation and curiosity.

As Ghost peered down at their larva, Pure felt a sudden rush of energy from their sibling. _Sosmall! Protect? Protectsmallthing,_ they said, a newfound defensiveness rising to the surface of their thoughts. When Hornet reached their side, she quickly kneeled next to them and leaned over to get a better look as well.

“They’re... not as big as I was expecting them to be,” she whispered, though there was a certain sense of incredulity and affection to her tone that had Pure chittering softly with amusement. “They look so vulnerable.”

Glancing to the side, they could see Hornet’s grip tighten instinctively around the hilt of her needle, though the movement didn’t frighten them so much as it did reassure them. Their child would surely be well protected growing up. With a shuddering sigh, they practically melted into the comforting presence of their siblings while the rest of the group watched from a distance.

As the soft-bodied hatchling nuzzled against their fingertips, Pure couldn’t help but let out another sob of joy. How could they be allowed such happiness? It was near overwhelming. Yet, even as they stared into the soft glow of their child’s eyes, they felt a single stab of regret.

Sitting with their family, surrounded by warmth, they wished the Radiance was there with them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> please talk to me @ my tumblr (eggroyalty)  
> i survived the purge and now im so alone


	16. Chapter 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pure learns abt the whereabouts of their mom

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> nano might be over but i dont quit until this fic is Done

“So... how does it feel? Being a parent, I mean.” Pure looked up to see Lurien perched at their side. He wasn’t looking directly at them, his gaze instead trained on Monomon as she gave Ghost a mock inspection while Hornet watched. In their lap, their hatchling was curled up, sleeping quietly- the act of breaking through their eggshell having exhausted them soon after they were able to free themselves from it.

It had only been a short few hours, but Pure’s chest still felt light with elation. They had no way to communicate this to Lurien in words, but when they looked from him to their child once more, letting out a soft croon as they did, they knew he’d be able to understand their feelings.

“Ah, I’m happy for you then. We were quite worried about you in the beginning because of... well,” Lurien paused and fixed them with a look. “The child’s mother...” A jolt shot through them at his words, and Pure forced themselves to still their hand as it hovered above the soft, fluffy larvae.

The Radiance hadn’t shown herself in their dreams since the incident that resulted in the loss of their arm, but they knew she was alive at least, and that while it had been enough for them before, they now had a new reason to desire her presence. As they resumed the gentle stroking of their child’s back, Lurien seemed to understand what they were feeling.

Standing, he tilted his head at them. “If you want to return to the spire, you’re always welcome, you know. Though, I’m sure that you’ll be much happier with Her, wherever she is.”

Pure nodded, and as Lurien stepped away, they couldn’t help but wish they could still speak. Even before their sealing, the Watcher had taken care of them when he was able. Hopefully, someday, they’d be able to repay him.

Looking down at their child, Pure felt a flutter of affection stir within them. Their tiny hatchling was soft- covered in down that reminded them of the Radiance’s feathers. Would they grow to resemble her or them more? Another pang of adoration hit them as they imagined their child fully grown, as tall as they were with their mother’s eyes.

“I hear you’ll be leaving us soon,” a voice brought them out of their fantasizing in an instant, Pure’s head snapping up to meet eyes with Monomon, who had apparently finished entertaining Ghost and was now looking at their hatchling with a soft gaze. “Have you thought of a name for them yet?”

Admittedly, a name was one of the few things they hadn’t thought about while waiting for their child to hatch. Shaking their head  _ no, _ they heard her laugh softly.

“Well, you have time left to think of something. Where will you be going now?” she asked, only for them to lean back and sigh inwardly. If they wanted to search for the Radiance, they had no idea where to start. “If I may suggest... Hornet mentioned going to see your mother, the former Queen.” At that, Pure sat up sharply, briefly glancing down when their child squeaked with displeasure as they were jostled from sleep.

Their mother was alive? They hadn’t seen her since they were young. Pure’s mind immediately alit with images of her gaze upon them- always sad, always longing. Soon after her departure, they’d learned from hushed whispers of their father’s retainers how she’d mourned over them. A single seed begotten of thousands. Her child borne and sentenced to a fate which meant she could never raise them, never truly love them, her King leaving her heirless and downtrodden as soon as her purpose in his grand plan had been served.

They never had a chance to feel sorrow over her lack of presence before.

_ Hornet? Youvisitmotheryes? _ Pure turned to look in her direction, focusing hard enough for her to hear them from across the room. Both of their siblings looked back at them in response, though Ghost immediately hurried to their side while Hornet approached at a more leisurely pace.

“What are you telling them, Monomon?” Her tone was almost accusatory, but at the sight of Pure’s hopeful expression, their sister’s harsh facade faded slightly.

To her credit, Monomon didn’t snap in response, instead preferring to bow her head slightly. “I was simply informing them of your plans to visit Root sometime soon. You spoke so much to this little one here,” she said, gently patting the top of Ghost’s head with a tentacle as they playfully reached out for her. “It seemed... pertinent, that I let your elder sibling know, seeing how they haven’t seen her since their youth, so long ago.”

Hornet softened completely at this, letting out a dull sigh as she nodded her head. “I hadn’t thought that... well,” she glanced up at them, “I would not mind it too badly, if you accompanied me to her dwelling, that is. Ghost does not particularly enjoy the White Lady’s presence, and I do not begrudge them their dislike, though,” Hornet seemed to stare off into the distance for a moment. “Before you returned my mother to me, Root was...” Instead of continuing, Pure noticed tears beginning to pool in the eyeholes of her mask.

Unable to figure out any suitable words of comfort, they drew their sister in with their arm and held her at their side, humming softly even as she fought back the brief wave of emotion that had overcome her.

“I’m fine, I’m fine! There’s no need for this!” she said, even when she leaned into their frame more. “Though, I appreciate it...”

When she’d calmed down enough to no longer be crying, Monomon had already drifted away, carrying a quickly-tiring Ghost in her tentacles. Pure had felt their younger sibling’s interest in the conversation wane the instant the former Queen was mentioned, and it seemed that they were already content with staying by Lurien and Monomon’s sides while they were off with Hornet. Chirping with amusement, they carefully shifted away from their sister so they could move to cradle their still-sleeping child against their chest.

_ Wegonow? Seemother? _ they asked, and watched as Hornet wiped her face with the hem of her cloak one last time before standing and heading towards the entrance to the Archives.

“Yes, yes we’re leaving now,” she said mid-stride. For once, there wasn’t a single hint of stoicism in her voice as she spoke, not unkindly to them. “Though she’s changed in the years since her departure from the castle, I’m sure she’d delight much in seeing you again.”

As they followed after her, Pure hoped she was correct in her assumptions.

 

Despite how the King loved touting his vessel around the four corners of his kingdom, they’d never once been to the Queen’s private retreat. Perhaps their father had been too cowardly- or maybe he thought he was saving her the pain of having to witness what they looked like fully grown just before they were set to seal away the Radiance.

Either way, the lush foliage of their mother’s gardens were a sight they much appreciated.

Even Hornet seemed more at ease among the plant growth than she did anywhere else- even Deepnest. Their sister was laughing as she led them through the leaves, choosing to swing from her needle and thread instead of on foot. Pure found it easy to keep pace with her despite this, though making sure their stride was even enough to avoid jostling their child too much was a slight challenge.

The sparse wildlife that inhabited the gardens paid them no mind, though, as they drew nearer to their destination, Pure couldn’t help but feel uneasy.

_ Sister? Hornetwait! _ they called out, interrupting her swing and causing her to drop back, hanging from her thread as she fixed them with a stare.

“What is it? We’re almost there. Now isn’t the time for pause.” She glanced back at them only to see them shaking their head. They pointed up at the atrium above them.

_ Slowslowcautiouscareful, _ they said back, moving forward so they could gently push her behind them. They didn’t have their nail on them, but in any situation, they had a tougher shell than she did.

With utmost gentleness, they held out their child for her to take. At this, Hornet acquiesced, dropping to the ground and sheathing her needle so she could take the soft hatchling into her arms.

When they were satisfied with how she was holding them, Pure climbed up into the atrium, glancing about. It wasn’t just their knight training that caused them to feel on edge, but the very atmosphere of the place seemed charged. As they continued onward, sometimes glancing back to make sure Hornet was close by, they heard the sounds of fighting coming from up ahead.

Motioning at their sister to stay behind, they hurried forward, ignoring how cramped the space became in the cavern before emerging on the other side to see one of their former teachers fending off several mantises. It seemed that their arrival disoriented the attackers, their movements faltering just long enough for Dryya to gain the upper hand in the fight. Her rapier easily cut through the shells of her foes, and as they stood there watching the carnage, they twisted about sharply, grabbing a mantis who had snuck up behind her by the neck and pinning them down with their full weight.

“If this isn’t a surprise!” Their head shot up at the other knight’s voice, catching sight of her as she stabbed the point of her weapon down into the head of the mantis they’d been holding down, before swiftly withdrawing it and flicking the remains of the blood from the blade. “I thought we were to never see each other again, Pure one.”

They shook their head amusedly at that, before standing up and glancing about at the remainders of the skirmish. Dryya herself gave a dry huff at the bodies scattered about.

“More work for me. I’ll have to drag these outside and hope the last of these traitors will finally get the message that their kind is not welcome here,” she said, before shifting her gaze to them in earnest. “As for you... I can’t begin to imagine how you’re still alive after all this time.” Her voice took on a distinct awed quality, only for her to straighten up once more when a rustling from behind them soon revealed itself to be Hornet.

“If I had known you were nervous because of the mantises, I’d have reassured you that they’re no match for Teacher,” Hornet snapped out, even as she carefully picked her way over the corpses, Pure’s child squirming in her arms.

Upon noticing them, Dryya tilted her head at the tiny hatchling. “Quite irresponsible of you to bring such a vulnerable thing to this place, my wayward students.” Pure scooped up their child in response, shaking their head once more before shooting a glance at Hornet, who coughed slightly at their reprimanding look.

“I... should’ve been more forthright about the potential risks, yes. However, the infection’s absence has left the traitor tribe weakened, and their leader dead. I didn’t think they’d pose us much of a threat,” she admitted.

“Tsk, I thought I taught you better, pale child,” Dryya said, before inclining her head back at the entrance to the den behind her. “Go on, my Lady awaits you.” Bowing sharply, Hornet proceeded into the structure, though Pure hesitated, staring up at the building which was supposed to house their mother. Her roots spread throughout the top of the building, and even as they stood there, they could feel her presence in the air.

“Why do you wait, Pure one?” They looked up at Dryya’s question, a rumble of discomfort echoing through their chest. “You worry of her reaction to you, and this little one, I am assuming, yes?” When they nodded, she sighed with understanding. “My Lady is sometimes an enigma to even me, yet... I know the truth on this matter. She has missed you.”

They didn’t so much as respond, but the tendrils of doubt that had been encroaching on their mind seemed to fall away at her words.

“Go on, now. You may have only been my student for a short time, but I remember your resolve. Keep it close to you now, and remember that all will be fine.” At this, they hummed their thanks at Dryya and moved past her, ready to face what awaited them in the den of the pale root.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> /screams/


	17. Chapter 17

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pure comes home and disappoints their mom.

The descent into the hollowed out den was somewhat difficult for them. The passageways had little room for them, and several times they were forced to crawl forward with their arm extended outward so they wouldn’t accidentally squeeze their child too hard. However, when they reached the bottom-

“Hornet, did you bring someone with you-?” That soft voice which echoed throughout the room, they couldn’t remember the last time they’d heard it. Pure couldn’t help but tremble as they stepped closer. “It feels like... oh!”

Her crest had grown immensely from before. Her branches spreading outward and piercing the ceiling above, which explained the tendrils of white that extended from the den above. Their mother’s eyes- once clear and focused -were now clouded and blue, and as her gaze shifted vaguely in their direction, peering through them instead of at them, they realized that she must have lost most, if not all of her sight.

“Pure... Pure is that you? Long it has been since I was able to gaze upon this world, but- Hornet, I know they cannot speak to me. Please, are they here? Why is it that I feel the presence of my Pure Knight after all these years of separation?” she asked, her branches quivering as tears began to build in her eyes.

Glancing across at them, Pure caught Hornet’s eye and watched as she nodded at them, before moving to sit on the floor of the room.

“They’re here, Root. I brought them to see you.” At this, the former Queen let out a shuddering gasp, her body shaking slightly even from within the cocoon she was encased in.

“Oh, ohh... my child, my dearest child- how cruel a fate I am beheld to, to be reunited with you and yet be unable to see you for myself,” she wept as she tilted her head in their direction. “Come closer- closer now, so I may get a sense for you. My King did not permit me to attend to you when you were younger, but-”

As she spoke, they approached slowly, until they were standing right beside her and staring up at her face. She blinked slowly, then all at once she drew herself up as much as she could and sighed. “I know it is not my place to ask anything of you, but... Oh Pure... I scarcely hoped for a chance to be reunited with you, cowardly as I am, being the one who fled from that place of my own will. So many questions I wished to inquire upon you, yet none of them seem right to present at the moment.” With her limbs bound to her body, it was instead one of her branches that bent and bowed to brush against their crest, her shuddering breath drawing up the longing within them as they brought themselves to her side. “Perhaps it is my weakening self to blame, but could I be correct when I assume there is a third among you? Their presence is so faint, so small, and yet, familiar.”

Pure shot Hornet a glance as their mother’s words left a poignant silence hanging in the air. Neither sibling was willing to speak first, but the quiet was unexpectedly disturbed by Pure’s own child, their soft cries becoming louder than a siren in the enclosed space.

At the sound, Pure drew back from the White Lady as her body shook, flecks of white raining down from above as her eyes- dulled as they were -seemed to focus entirely on the hatchling in their lap, their arm instinctively drawing their child closer to their chest as their mother’s gaze grew wide and panicked.

“Pure, Hornet, tell me why is it that I hear the voice of a tender thing, yet feel the light of the one who once brought a plague to the kingdom’s heart,” she said, her voice equal parts afraid and threatening as Pure carefully ducked beneath her spreading branches and backed away to the far side of the room where they hadn’t yet reached.

“Root, please calm yourself. Pure is... well, I’ve no simple explanation, but they brought their child with them. They’re the third presence in this room.” Hornet’s explanation seemed to both calm and agitate the White Lady simultaneously as her branches halted their growth.

“A child? They’ve a child? But with whom?” she asked, bewildered. “My wyrm never sought to make it so the vessels could procreate. He was unwilling to permit me an heir. It was his unrealistic fear that in the event of his failing to properly dispose of the rest of our brood, they’d grow and multiply themselves through their offspring, such is the inevitable result of one of my own reaching maturity. There’s nary a force left in this world that could affect them in such a way, except for-” With a growing dread, Pure watched as their mother slowly fit the pieces together, her expression shifting to shock, then fear, before finally settling into a visage of revulsion.

“No- no! You wouldn’t- not after everything-! You let  _ Her _ taint your essence? Use you to re-establish her own befouled brood? Oh Pure... how far you’ve departed from purpose, to leave your body bare and open to- to  _ this, _ after all you’ve endured.” The White Lady continued to tremble as crystalline tears fell from her eyes. “Is it my punishment that in my reduced state, am forced to feel the remnants of my husband’s failings manifest before me in the form of a child? That one of my own spawn be used to perpetuate the existence of the being they were made to contain... Hornet, Pure, please do me this kindness and leave me be here in this prison of my own making. I would do best to follow those who came before me. This world is not long for our kind, and my heart, old and worn as it may be, has surely reached its final moments among this realm.”

Standing up sharply, Hornet’s needle scraped against the ground, causing Pure to startle even as they began to carefully move back towards the entrance of the room. When they glanced back at their sister, they saw her staring straight up at their mother, even as her eyes focused slightly above her head.

“Is this how you would see yourself reunited with them? Already you wallow here in shame for the lives you created and traded for this kingdom’s perpetuation, and yet in the face of peace you reject that which would grant happiness to the only child you truly knew. Root, I would not do to speak out of turn, but you know their offspring does not exist out of spite for you. This selfish cry for recourse is unlike you.” Hornet’s words brought a sharp end to the White Lady’s distressed tirade, but instead of a response, the ceiling above them began to shake. “Root-! Can you not contain yourself?”

“I am not-” The White Lady started, but quickly stopped, a gasp of surprise escaping her as she shuddered once more, her branches spreading out to cover most of the space above their heads. “This is not my doing! Hornet-” The occupants of the room startled when dust began to fall on their heads, Pure suddenly getting a sense of foreboding, hastily moved to huddle as close to their mother as they could, before beckoning their sister to do the same.

“My lady! The caverns are collapsing-!” Dryya’s shouting echoed down the hallway of the den for a brief moment before the knight herself slid into the room, hurrying to Hornet’s side as the four of them stood beneath the canopy of the White Lady’s sturdy branches.

“I noticed that, dear Dryya,” she said, her voice barely audible among the sound of falling dirt. In the crook of their arm, Pure’s child began to wail.

Under the former Queen’s crest, the five of them watched as the nest filled with peat and rubble, pieces of the walls and ceiling coming apart under the deluge of earth as it filled the room almost completely to the brim, the only thing stopping it being the wall of roots that had extended from the White Lady’s body to defend against the crumbling cavern walls.

Trembling slightly, Pure re-situated their child against their chest as they braced themselves. Planting their feet firmly on the ground, they felt the swirling depths of power stir within themselves and  _ focused. _

It only took a few moments for the magic inside to build and overflow, the energy manifesting itself just beyond the area they’d set their sights on, pockets of earth and stone were destroyed as they channeled the spell through their body, clearing out the space around the now-destroyed den. Ignoring how their body shook with the effort of casting, they stepped back and carefully knelt upon the ground.

From behind them, Hornet moved to their side, letting them lean against her as they heaved out a sigh of exhaustion.

“So... what do we do now?” she asked. Shaking their head, they glanced around themselves seeing no way out, only to look above themselves and see a hole leading out of the gardens and into the green lands above.

It appeared that the only thing they could do was ascend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 3 chapters 'till the end! ya'll weady fr this?


	18. Chapter 18

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> New discoveries abound~

“Something must have happened on the surface.” Pure canted their head back towards Hornet even as they were preoccupying themself with carefully ascending the slope that now led up into the green lands above. “Are you sure its wise to leave your mother behind?”

 _Dryyastays, wego,_ they said, careful to keep a firm hold on their hatchling as they worked their way up, the remnants of the cave-in having left behind a rocky path upwards.

Hornet huffed softly but continued to follow, careful to help them as they slowly found their footing among the soft earth.

“We do not know what caused the event, though. Should we truly be heading towards the source of the destruction?” she asked, even as she braced her hands against their back and helped push them upwards. Pure warbled quietly as they scrambled up onto the ground above and waited for her to follow them. “It could be something we aren’t prepared to handle. Ghost is more adept at dispatching large threats than I am.”

Shaking their head, Pure simply continued onward. After the cavern’s collapse, they hadn’t felt that same sense of danger, of power sweeping over them. Something had changed and they wanted to see it. Come what may, they wanted to find what had caused the disturbance in the first place.

It was only when they reached the Greenpath above that they could see the true extent of the damage. The familiar acid lakes were gone, drained completely, and the halls once roamed by the children of leaf were as in pieces as the gardens below.

“What a mess. What could’ve done all this?” Hornet sniffed as she overturned several pieces of rubble with her needle. “It seems the mosskin have left as well...” Pure tried to not let that particular fact bother them too much. Yet their sister’s observation stirred a kind of restlessness in them they hadn’t felt before. Either the inhabitants of Greenpath had been erased from their world, or they’d fled in the wake of the destruction and left everything behind. Neither outcome sounded particularly pleasant, however.

 _Findthem?_ they asked, regardless of whether or not they believed there was anything left of the mosskin to find. It only took Hornet’s responding nod to propel them forward, the wreckage around them ignored in favor of discovering what had caused such an event.

As the two siblings- and Pure’s child, who was most helpful in filling the silence left behind in the acid river’s absence with their curious chirps and babbles -wandered throughout the remnants of the crumbled structures and wilted plants, they soon found themselves staring as the surviving foliage began to change before their eyes.

Hornet pulled on their cloak just before they passed by a grove that remained mostly untouched by the destruction, the plants within shuddering as an unnatural force warped them. Pure could only stare as the leaves pulsed briefly with light before they folded in on themselves, only to bloom once more with shining centers, the glow from within reminding them of-

“Pure, Pure! Above us-” Their sister’s voice drew their gaze upwards, and after wincing slightly at the sharp difference in brightness, Pure couldn’t help but stare at the rays of light that bled downward from above.

It was with a shuddering breath accentuated by the cry of the hatchling in their arm that they took in the sight of the bright sky hanging over their head, and with a glance back at Hornet, the two raced to find a way up onto the surface.

  
⋆ ✩ ⋆

 

Unsurprisingly, the transfer of power did not occur without resistance. As the Radiance took in the essence that the Children of Green offered her, she could feel their creator rise from slumber and cry out for them- a call to reclaim, to re-establish the bonds that they’d let wither away in their own absence. In response, she opened more of herself to the flood of dreams that poured out from the displaced mosskin. She was too far gone now to withhold any piece of herself from them. They could see into her innermost depths, places that only her own children had been privy to, and to even out the tide, she gave them back what they were missing from Unn.

To her delight, they leaned into that welcome invitation. As the last of them rejected Unn’s summons, she could feel the tentative beginnings of a bond between them starting to form. A tether to her new charges, and they a connection to her mind- her power, all of it spreading outwards like a veil.

She didn’t doubt that the act would change her, no. Such a fundamental metamorphosis, the act of assimilation had to be made equally by both parties, and she knew she would be different for it, but even as her body warped and twisted as the minds of her new kin- and they _were_ hers now, never to be given back to their absent maker -formed an image of her in their minds. She would always be the Radiance. At her core she was light, shining, shimmering, brilliant essence, and that would never change.

Even so, as the mosskin’s desires took a hold of her reduced form, she could feel them reshaping the parts of her that they could reach. It was a strange, but not unpleasant sensation, the feeling of her body being remolded to fit another’s wishes- but this power was not only theirs in turn.

It felt wrong, to stray too far from Unn’s original vision, and yet, to leave them as they were would be doing them a disservice. The Radiance wasn’t one to have what was hers marked by another, and the dreamer of green had given up that right in the abandonment of her children. So, it was only fair that as they gave the gift of themselves to her, she would give them a gift back, one that would signify them as being _different-_

The moment the strands of power ceased to continue flowing through them all, the Radiance finally dared to open her eyes and see what had become of them all.

She noticed the very first change when she reached out for the mosskin- should she still refer to them as such? Perhaps that would be something to bring up later. For now, she was preoccupied with staring at what’d become of her wings, the formerly soft, downy strands replaced with thin, velvety leaf-like appendages. When she tested them, they felt no different than before, if not perhaps a little more sensitive to the breeze. As for the rest of her, she could spot patches of glowing foliage sprouting from her feathers, and there were no doubt other changes happening where she couldn’t see.

There was an odd sense of elation pervading her body the more she thought about her new appearance, a feeling that was amplified as she gazed upon the slowly re-awakening moss children before her. All of them were rising to see themselves touched by the Radiance’s energy, tiny flowers evoking the form of her crest blooming in the leafy cloaks that covered them, and when they opened their eyes, there was a golden sheen to them that did nothing to hide the excitement they seemed to be feeling as they glanced at each other, and then at her.

When they finally began to settle into themselves, the Radiance couldn’t help but sigh adoringly when some of the crowd began to realize just how much they’d changed. As soon as they’d woke, the small child from before stumbled to her side, and, leaning on the Radiance’s wing, realized that they now possessed a pair of their own.

The sight of them discovering the blessing she’d bestowed upon them reminded her of the sight of her own children testing out their wings. It had come naturally to the moths, the ability to fly having been a part of their design from the start, but she had no doubts the glowkin- now wasn’t that a nice name? -would need time to adjust, but they’d never have an opportunity to do so in such cramped, restrained caverns.

“Has everyone awoken?” she asked, her eyes roving over the sea of luminous green before her as a hundred more glowing eyes blinked back at her and murmured their confirmations with dazed and awed voices. With an amused breath, the Radiance stood, carefully lifting the tiny glowing pip up so they could clutch at her feathers, and turned to face her new followers. “If so, it’s time for us to be going.” At their confused glances, she spread her wings and forced down a delighted noise when over half the crowd raised their own instinctively in response.

“These caverns are no place to learn to fly.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> /wheezes/ s o close to the end dear god

**Author's Note:**

> naniwrimo soon


End file.
